Bošwa jwa Setšhaba

Letlotlo la Setjhaba

Ilifa Lesizwe

Lifa Lesive

Erfenis vir die Volk

Ifa la Lushaba

Ilifa Lesizwe

Ilifa Lesitjhaba

Ndzhaka ya Rixaka

Bohwa bja Setšhaba

Heritage for the Nation

ANNUAL REPORTFOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2008

South Af r i can Her i tage Resources Agency

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I t w o u l d h a v e b e e n i m p o s s i b l e f o r t h e S o u t h A f r i c a n H e r i t a g e

R e s o u r c e s A g e n c y t o a c h i e v e w h a t h a s b e e n r e p o r t e d i n

t h e p r o c e e d i n g p a g e s w i t h o u t t h e c o o p e r a t i o n o f v a r i o u s

S t a t e D e p a r t m e n t s , a s s o c i a t i o n s , o r g a n i z a t i o n s a n d

m a n y i n t e r e s t e d i n d i v i d u a l s .

T h i s c o n t i n u e d s u p p o r t a n d g u i d e l i n e s a r e a p p r e c i a t e d

b y t h e C o u n c i l a n d i t s s t a f f .

F i n a l l y , t h e C o u n c i l w o u l d l i k e t o t h a n k i t s

d e d i c a t e d s t a f f a t t h e H e a d O f f i c e

a n d P r o v i n c i a l o f f i c e s f o r t h e

e n t h u s i a s m a n d i n i t i a t i v e

d u r i n g t h e y e a r .

CONTENTS

LETTER FROM THE CHAIRPERSON 5

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER’S MESSAGE 6

COUNCIL MEMBERSHIP 8

APPLICABLE ACTS & OTHER INFORMATION 8

CORPORATE AFFAIRS 9

• Human Resources Management 10• Informat ion & Aux i l ia ry Serv ices 2 4• Inventory o f the Nat iona l Es tate 2 6

HERITAGE RESOURCES MAN AGEMENT 2 9

Head Off ice Units 2 9• Archaeo logy, Pa laeonto logy and Meteor i te Un i t 3 0• Underwater Cu l tura l Her i tage Un i t 3 4• Arch i tectura l Her i tage Landscape Un i t 4 0• Grad ing & Dec la rat ions Un i t 4 2• Her i tage Ob jects Un i t 4 6• Bur ia l Grounds & Graves Un i t 5 0

Provinc ia l Off ices 5 4• Easte rn Cape 5 5• Free State 61• Gauteng 6 5• KwaZulu Nata l 6 9• L impopo 7 3• Mpumalanga 7 7• N orthern Cape 81• North West 8 5• Weste rn Cape 8 9

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 1 0 3

SAHRA OFFICES AND STAFF LIST 1 4 0

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○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

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SAHRA’s Vision

Vision - To provide leadership in the management and development of heritage

resources through identification, conservation, protection and awareness of

South Africa’s diverse heritage resources for all South Africans

Ponelopele - Go aba boetapele bja taolo le tlhabollo ya di diriswa tsa bohwa ka

kgethisiso, pabalelo, tshireletso le temoso ya di diriswa tsa bohwa tse di

fapanego tsa Afrika Borwa go maAfrika Borwa ka moka

Umbono - kuniketa buholi ekuphatseni nasekutfutfukiseni tinsita kutemafa

ngekukhombisa,konga, kuvikela kanye nekwatisa iNingizimu Afrika

ngekuhlukana kwetinsita kutemafa kubo bonkhe bantfu base Ningizimu Afrika

Boitlhomo - Go naya ketelelopele mo tsamaisong le tlhabololong ya metswedi e

e leng boswa ka go tlhaoloa, go boloka, go sireletsa le go lemotsha Maaforika

Borwa otlhe metswedi e e farologaneng ya boswa jwa Aforika Borwa

UMbono - Ukunika ubunkokeli kulawulo nophuhliso lwemithombo yolwazi

lwemveli ngokuchonga, ukugcina, ukukhusela nokwazisa ngemithombo

yolwazi lwemveli yaseMzantsi Afrika kulungiselelwa bonke abemi boMzantsi

Afrika

UMbono - Kunikela ngoburholi bokuphatha nokuthuthukiswa

kweensetjenziswa zamagugu wesitjhaba ngokabana siwaveze, siwathlogomele

siwavikele begodu silemukise abantu ngeensetjenziswa ezihlukeneko zamagugu

weSewula Afrika kiwo woke amaSewula Afrika

Ponelopele Ho fana ka boetapele tsamaisong le ntshetsopeleng ya mehlodi ya

mafa ka ho supa, ho boloka, ho sirelletsa le ho tsebahatsa bobatsi ba mehlodi ya

mafa a Afrika Borwa bakeng sa Maafrika Borwa kaofela

Visie - Om leierskap te verleen in die bestuur en ontwikkeling van

erfenishulpbronne deur die identifisering, bewaring, beskerming en bewusmaking

van Suid-Afrika se verskeidenheid erfenishulpbronne vir alle Suid-Afrikaners

Xivono Ku nyika vurhangeri eka malawulele ni nkuriso wa swihlovo swa

ndzhaka, hi ku tiva, ku hlayisa, ku sirhelela na ku lemukisa swa ku nava ka

swihlovo swa ndzhaka ya Afrika-Dzonga, eka ma Afrika-Dzonga hinkwavo

Bono U netshedza vhurangaphanda kha ndangulo na mveledziso ya zwiko zwa

vhufa nga u topola, londola, tsireledza na u dzhiela ntha zwiko zwa vhufa zwo

fhambanaho zwa Afrika Tshipembe kha Vhadzulapo vhothe vha Afrika Tshipembe

Inhlosombono ye - SAHRA ukunikeza uholo ekuphathweni nasekuthuthukisweni

kwamagugu esizwe ngokuthi ahlonzwe, alondolozwe, avikelwe kanye

nokusabalalisa ulwazi ngamagugu ahlukahlukene abobonke abantu

baseNingizimu Afrika

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LETTER FROM THE

CHAIRPERSON

111 Harrington Street

CAPE TOWN

8001

The Minister of Arts & Culture

Oranje Nassau Building

188 Schoeman Street

PRETORIA

0002

31 March 2008

ACCOUNTING AUTHORITY OF SAHRA

Dear Sir

LETTER OF THE CHAIRPERSON

I have done a review of the financial statements of SAHRA for the 2007/8 financial year-end

and have pleasure in presenting them to you.

Yours faithfully

____________________________

Phill Mashabane

Chairperson of Council

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THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE

OFFICER’S MESSAGEI preface this, the eight annual report of the South

African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) by bestow-

ing my personal gratitude and thanks to the organiza-

tion of SAHRA, and its council, for affording me the

opportunity to lead SAHRA for a brief period (as Acting-

CEO). SAHRA is currently enduring its most exciting

moments, leaving no doubt that the organization is

making serious inroads in the heritage resources sector.

This can only be attributed to the astute leadership of

my predecessor, Mr Phakamani Buthelezi and naturally,

Council chairperson, Mr Phill Mashabane, and the

entire Council for their consistent guidance and support.

SAHRA, authorized through the National Heritage

Resources Act, No. 25 of 1999 (NHRA), retains the noble

mandate to identify, protect and manage South Africa’s

heritage resources. Guaranteeing responsibility to

ensure uniformity in the identification, protection,

conservation and management of heritage resources in

South Africa, SAHRA discharges the management of

heritage resources as the final arbiter. This is delivered

through strategic and valuable stakeholder relations

that include partnerships with the Ministry and Depart-

ment of Arts and Culture, and various members of

provincial executive councils whose support undeniably

promotes the smooth execution of our duties and

consultation with communities and members of the

public.

Testimony to this is SAHRA’s achievement of receiving

our third unqualified financial report (2007-2008) from

the Auditor-General (AG); accorded to SAHRA in

recognition of the organisation’s ability and capability

to manage public funds. The AG’s positive endorsement

of SAHRA’s expenditure of funds allocated from the

Department of Arts and Culture demonstrates SAHRA’s

effectiveness in financial and human capital expendi-

ture - key requirements in heritage management.

Despite that, the heritage sector remains hugely under

funded and challenged, it is necessary that statutory

bodies, such as SAHRA, demonstrates its effectiveness,

which must encourage our political principals to

consider the pressing need to increase funds to the

heritage sector. I commend their efforts, and their input

but caution against the capacity issues which hampers

the gains SAHRA has made thus far. Such an important

role has to be enhanced by adequate resources and

proper functioning systems like fully functioning

Provincial Heritage Resources Authorities (PHRAs).

SAHRA has identified fifty “Grade One” sites, some of

which have already been declared as National Heritage

sites. Once a site receives “Grade One” status, its

declaration as a national heritage site is to be antici-

pated. However, it must be appreciated that the grading

process and the ultimate declaration of National

Heritage sites is on occasion, painstaking. SAHRA

relies on its competent staff to clearly comprehend the

need to expedite the declaration of sites of national

significance by initiating mechanisms that would

ensure a seamless process of identifying and declaring

sites of national significance. This would involve

consulting with the most important role-players, viz.,

civil society. One of the most important elements of the

NHRA is the opportunity it will provide for communi-

ties to participate in the identification, conservation

and management of our cultural heritage resources.

In order to develop the skills and capacities of commu-

nities, heritage resource agencies must empower and

promote public involvement in the identification of

heritage resources. The recording of living heritage

associated with heritage and oral history is a crucial

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element, because much of our past is undocumented

and skewed.

SAHRA is mandated by an Act of parliament to

“promote good management of the national estate,

and to enable and encourage communities to nurture

and conserve their legacy so that it may be bequeathed

to future generations.

Our heritage …has the power to build our nation. It

has the potential to affirm our diverse cultures, and in

so doing shape our national character.

Our heritage celebrates our achievements and contrib-

utes to redressing past inequities.

It educates, it deepens our understanding of society

and encourages us to empathise with the experience of

others. It facilitates healing and material and sym-

bolic restitution and it promotes new and previously

neglected research into our rich oral traditions and

customs.” (NHRA Preamble).

In expanding its footprint from national to interna-

tional interests, SAHRA has in the past financial year

contributed towards heritage development in Africa

and other parts of the (developing) world through

information sharing and relationship building. Our

“Step Ahead Heritage Vision” strategic plan can only

expand in the future through the continued support of

our investors, co-operation of our stakeholders and

partners and dedication from our staff. This report

contains the work of the Archaeology, Paleontology

and Meteorites, Underwater Cultural Heritage,

Architectural Heritage Landscape, Heritage Objects,

Burial Grounds and Graves, Inventory of the National

Estate, Grading and Declaration, Provincial Offices,

Library Services, Archives, Information Technology,

Human Resources, Corporate Affairs and Finance

units

Once again, whilst it is commendable for these units to

have delivered on their core areas, there is still an

urgent need to address capacity constraints facing

SAHRA.

SAHRA’s “Step Ahead Heritage Vision” strategic plan

has identified five priority areas, viz., conservation

enhancement, cultural and natural integration,

heritage tourism, transformation and global initia-

tives. These priority areas has allowed for SAHRA to

identify the aforementioned 50 sites with the relevant

criteria to be nominated towards national heritage

status and declaration. The sites comprise a mixture

of values including the ‘struggle and liberation, living

heritage and the role of women’ themes.

This year has once again indicated that SAHRA

continues to promote heritage resources and making

the South African public aware of their unique herit-

age. This has resulted in a number of people contact-

ing SAHRA with regards to the conservation of sites in

their areas and how they could help and become more

involved. Our web site has also had an increase in

‘hits’ with regards to people, nationally and interna-

tionally, enquiring about South African heritage.

Despite SAHRA’s limited resources and capacity, we

have managed to perform our conservation function

admirably as is evident by the amount of heritage sites

prioritized and identified. Our participation as

heritage practitioners in other countries is an indica-

tion of our commitment to advancing the NEPAD

initiatives and is testimony to the professional credibil-

ity with which SAHRA is regarded internationally and

locally.

SAHRA was involved in the rehabilitation of ‘victims

of conflict’ graves in Tanzania and also participated in

the development of heritage legislation in Lesotho.

SAHRA officials are in the process of conserving

and managing sites associated with the SS Mendi

and O Tambo outside South African borders. We

continue to provide professional advice to various

organizations from local, provincial and national

government departments to interested and affected

heritage bodies and communities.

SAHRA has also provided input to the Department

of Arts and Culture regarding the legislative review

of the National Heritage Resources Act and has

participated in the international consultation on

the ratification of the UNESCO Convention on the

Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage.

Thus far, phase one of our National Inventory

project has been completed and this will prove to be

an important tool in the protection and conserva-

tion of our unique and valuable heritage objects.

With the help of continuous improvement, it

remains our ambition to progressively develop our

mandated responsibility. It therefore gives me

great pleasure to present to you, SAHRA’s eighth

Annual Report.

Dingaan Ngomane

Acting Chief Executive Officer

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CouncilMembership

NAME STATUS

1. Mr Phill Mashabane Chairperson

2. Ms Laura Robinson National

3. Dr Mpilo Pearl Sithole National

4. Dr Amanda Beth Esterhuysen National

5. Mr Edgar Neluvhalani National

6. Mr Henk Smith National

PHRAs

7. Dr Mthobeli Phillip Guma Western Cape

8. Adv. Justice Bekebeke Northern Cape

9. Mr Monde Coline Mkunqwana Eastern Cape

10. Mr Seripiti Jeremiah Monyobo Free State

11. Mr Arthur Konigkramer KwaZulu-Natal

12. TBA Gauteng

13. Ms Nomvula Motloung Mpumalanga

14. Ms Phuti Joyce Tsipa Limpopo

15. TBA North West

Applicable Acts &Other Information

This report is submitted in compliance

with the Constitution of the Republic of

South Africa, 1999 (Act 108 of 1996) read

with sections 4 and 20 of the Public Audit

Act, 2004 (Act No. 25 of 2004); the Public

Finance Management Act 1999 (Act 1 of

1999 amended by Act 29 of 1999); the

Standards of Generally Recognised

Accounting Practice (Standards of GRAP);

Treasury Regulations, 2001; the Equity

Act (Act 55 of 1998); the Skills Develop-

ment Act (Act 9 of 1999) and other

applicable Acts and Regulations.

In terms of the National Heritage

Resources Act, 1999 (Act 25 of 1999), the

South African Heritage Resources Agency

(SAHRA) was officially established

together with its Council to co-ordinate

and promote the management of heritage

resources at national level; to set norms

and maintain essential national standards

for the management of heritage resources

in the Republic and to protect heritage

resources of national significance; to

control the export of nationally

significant heritage objects and the

import into the Republic of cultural

property illegally exported from foreign

countries; to enable the provinces to

establish heritage authorities which must

adopt powers to protect and manage

certain categories of heritage resources;

to provide for the protection and manage-

ment of conservation-worthy places and

areas by local authorities; and to provide

for matters connected therewith.

NAMA INTERVIEWEES.

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CORPORATE AFFAIRS

HumanResources

Management

Information& Auxiliary

Services

Inventory ofthe National

Estate

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2. REMUNERATION SYSTEMSAHRA embarked on the development of a remunera-

tion system that will provide the organisation with a

salary structure and a remuneration policy that is

legally justified, sound and perceived as fair. The

project consisted of the following components:

• A job analysis phase that consisted of the develop-

ment of job profiles (including job descriptions and

competency statements) for the 40 identified job roles

within SAHRA; and

• A job evaluation and equity analysis phase, resulting

in the development of a salary structure and remu-

neration policy.

By the end of the review period, the job analysis and job

evaluation phases were completed. The equity analysis

will be completed by the end of May 2008 during the

next review period.

In order to ensure that the outcome is accepted as

legitimate and fair by the majority of SAHRA employ-

ees, consultation and involvement of relevant staff

members took place at various stages of the project.

This was done within the context of the time frames

Human Resources Management

1. EXPENDITURE

TABLE 1.1: PERSONNEL COST FOR 2007-08

TOTAL EXPENDITURE PERSONNEL EXPENDITURE TRAINING EXPENDITURE CONSULTANCY SERVICES PERSONNEL COST AS A % OF TOTAL AVERAGE PERSONNEL

EXPENDITURE COST PER EMPLOYEE

17 553 477 0 345 375 17 553 477 0

TABLE 1.2: SALARIES, HOUSING SUBSIDY, MEDICAL ASSISTANCE, PENSION FUND CONTRIBUTIONS AND OTHER ALLOWANCES, LEAVE GRATUITIES, BONUSES AND STATUTORY LEVIES FOR 2006-07

SALARIES HOUSING ALLOWANCE MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PENSION FUND

Amount Salaries as a % of Amount Housing Allowance Amount Medical Assistance as a % Amount Pension Contributions as a

Personnel Cost as a % of Personnel Cost of Personnel Cost % of Personnel Cost

11 910 222 0 174 220 .99% 713 342 4.06% 2 000 922 11.40%

OTHER ALLOWANCES LEAVE GRATUITIES BONUSES STATUTORY LEVIES(Car and Cell Phone) (UIF and WCA)

Amount Allowances as a % of Amount Leave Gratuities as a % Amount Bonuses as a % Amount Statutory Levies as a % of

Personnel Cost of Personnel Cost of Personnel Cost Personnel Cost

1 205 049 6.87% 79 634 .45% 911 516 12.07% 0 0

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and financial resources available for the speedy andsuccessful completion of the project.

The development of the remuneration system gener-ated valuable information that can serve as a primaryinput in other Human Resource related processes suchas skills development, performance management and

recruitment.

3. EMPLOYMENT CHANGES The implementation of the approved SAHRA

organogram could not be implemented as envis-

aged due to insufficient funds available during the

review period. However, new appointments were

made as a result of resignations and dismissals.

The organization experienced an unusual number

of resignations within the middle management

level. This can partially be attributed to higher

salaries offered by other organizations within the

heritage sector, which poses a threat with regards to

effective service delivery for an organisation such as

SAHRA with limited resources to retain skilled staff

members.

‘

TABLE 2.1: ANNUAL TURNOVER RATE BY SALARY LEVELS FOR 1 APRIL 2007 UNTIL 31ST MARCH 2008

OCCUPATIONAL LEVELS NUMBER EMPLOYEES APPOINTMENTS OF TERMINATIONS TURNOVER RATE NUMBER AS AT

AS AT 1ST APRIL 2007 31ST MARCH 2008

Top Management 1 0 0 0 1

Senior Management 3 0 0 0 3

Professionally qualified and experienced specialist

and middle management 21 2 5 22 % 18

Skilled technically & academically qualified workers,

junior management, supervisors, foremen and

superintendents 27 4 3 10 % 29

Semi-skilled and discretionary decision making 16 5 3 14 % 18

Unskilled and defined decision making 9 2 0 0 11

TOTAL PERMANENT EMPLOYEES 77 13 11 12 % 80

NON-PERMANENT EMPLOYEES 7 2 5 55% 4

TOTAL 84 15 16 16% 84

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4. EMPLOYMENT EQUITYThe development of an Employment Equity Plan was

finalised during the year under review in consultation

with the Employment Equity Forum. In addition to the

plan, an Employment Equity Report was submitted to

the Department of Labour in October 2007.

The analysis of the workforce has shown that since April

2000 when SAHRA replaced the National Monuments

Council, the organization underwent major transforma-

tion in terms of the representation of designated groups.

As a result by the end of 2006, of the total staff compo-

nent, 84.42% was black (i.e. African, Coloured and

Indian) and 15.58% white. Of the total number of males

in the organization 90.6% was black compared to

9.37% of whites. With regards to females, 80% was

black, compared to 20% of whites.

Although Africans have increased significantly with

about 35% since 2000, they are still under represented

compared to their representation of 74.88% of the

Economic Active Population. African males were over

represented in higher levels and under represented in

lower levels, while African females were under repre-

sented in higher levels and over represented in lower

levels. To achieve Employment Equity goals alternative

recruitment methods to the existing practice of advertis-

ing in the public media may have to be considered.

An analysis of existing human resource policies

within SAHRA resulted in the conclusion that

there were very few instances of obvious discrimi-

nation or barriers to the advancement and devel-

opment of SAHRA’s staff. However, an audit of

staff attitudes and perceptions to policy implemen-

tation should be done to provide a true reflection

of the impact of current employment practices on

the achievement of employment equity within the

organisation.

A number of barriers to disabled people in terms

of accessibility of SAHRA’s Head Office building

were identified that need to be addressed.

Note: Given the fact that SAHRA functions as a separate public entity, transfers from other government departments do not apply to the organisation.

As indicated in Table 2.2, a number of terminations took place during the review period for the following reasons:

TABLE 2.2: REASONS FOR TERMINATIONS

TERMINATION TYPE NUMBER % OF TOTAL

RESIGNATIONS 11 13%

EXPIRY OF CONTRACTS 4 5%

DISMISSAL - MISCONDUCT 1 1%

TOTAL 16 19 %

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TABLE 3.1: TOTAL NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES IN EACH OF THE FOLLOWING OCCUPATIONAL LEVELS

SAHRA WORKFORCE PROFILE - MARCH 2008

OCCUPATIONAL LEVELS DESIGNATED NON- DESIGNATED

MALE FEMALE WHITE MALE FOREIGN NATIONAL TOTAL

A C I A C I W W MALE FEMALE

Top management 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

Senior management 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 3

Professionally qualified

and experience specialist 8 1 1 2 3 0 2 1 0 0 18

Skilled technically and

academically qualified 12 2 0 7 2 0 4 1 0 1 29

Semi skilled and discretionary

decision making 1 2 0 11 2 2 0 0 0 0 18

Unskilled and defined decision making 0 2 0 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 11

Total Permanent 23 7 1 30 7 2 7 2 0 0 80

Non-Permanent 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 4

GRAND TOTAL 23 8 1 30 9 2 7 2 1 0 84

Employees with Disabilities 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

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TABLE 3.2: TOTAL NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES IN EACH OF THE FOLLOWING OCCUPATIONAL CATEGORIES

SAHRA WORKFORCE PROFILE - MARCH 2008

OCCUPATIONAL CATERGORIES DESIGNATED NON- DESIGNATED

MALE FEMALE WHITE MALE FOREIGN NATIONAL TOTAL

A C I A C I W W MALE FEMALE

Legislators, Senior Officials & Managers 10 1 1 3 3 0 3 1 0 0 22

Technicians & Associated Professionals 12 2 0 7 2 0 4 1 0 1 29

Clerks 0 2 0 11 2 2 0 0 0 0 17

Service Workers, shop & market

sales workers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Skilled agricultural and fishery workers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Craft & Related Trade Workers 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

Plant & Machine operators and

assemblers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Elementary occupations 0 2 0 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 11

Total Permanent 23 7 1 30 7 2 7 2 0 0 80

Non-Permanent 0 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 4

GRAND TOTAL 23 8 1 30 9 2 7 2 1 0 84

Employees with Disabilities 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1

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TABLE 3.3: RECRUITMENT FOR THE PERIOD 1 APRIL 2007 TO 31 MARCH 2008

SAHRA WORKFORCE PROFILE

OCCUPATIONAL LEVELS DESIGNATED NON- DESIGNATED

MALE FEMALE WHITE MALE FOREIGN NATIONAL TOTAL

A C I A C I W W MALE FEMALE

Top management 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Senior management 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Professionally qualified and

experienced specialist 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2

Skilled technically and academically

qualified 2 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 4

Semi skilled and discretionary

decision making 2 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 5

Unskilled and defined decision making 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

Total Permanent 5 0 0 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 12

Non-Permanent 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2

GRAND TOTAL 5 1 0 7 1 0 0 0 0 0 14

Employees with Disabilities 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

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TABLE 3.4: PROMOTION FOR THE PERIOD 1 APRIL 2007 TO 31 MARCH 2008

SAHRA WORKFORCE PROFILE

OCCUPATIONAL LEVELS DESIGNATED NON- DESIGNATED

MALE FEMALE WHITE MALE FOREIGN NATIONAL TOTAL

A C I A C I W W MALE FEMALE

Top management 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Senior management 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Professionally qualified and

experience specialist 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Skilled technically and

academically qualified 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Semi skilled and discretionary

decision making 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Unskilled and defined decision making 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Total Permanent 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Non-Permanent 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

GRAND TOTAL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Employees with Disabilities 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Note: No promotion took place during the current reporting period.

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TABLE 3.5: TERMINATIONS FOR THE PERIOD 1 APRIL 2007 TO 31 MARCH 2008

SAHRA WORKFORCE PROFILE

OCCUPATIONAL LEVELS DESIGNATED NON- DESIGNATED

MALE FEMALE WHITE MALE FOREIGN NATIONAL TOTAL

A C I A C I W W MALE FEMALE

Top management 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Senior management 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Professionally qualified and

experienced specialist 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 5

Skilled technically and

academically qualified 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 3

Semi skilled and discretionary

decision making 1 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 3

Unskilled and defined decision making 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Total Permanent 3 0 1 2 1 0 1 3 0 0 11

Non-Permanent 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 5

GRAND TOTAL 4 1 1 3 1 0 2 3 0 1 16

Employees with Disabilities 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Note: In all the above tables non-permanent employees refer to staff members appointed on a one year contract and less.

TABLE 3.6 DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS - 1 APRIL 2007 TO 31 MARCH 2008

SAHRA WORKFORCE PROFILE

DESIGNATED NON- DESIGNATED

MALE FEMALE WHITE MALE FOREIGN NATIONAL TOTAL

A C I A C I W W MALE FEMALE

Disciplinary Action 1 1 1 3

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5. SKILLS DEVELOPMENTBursaries were awarded to staff members for coursesin Internal Auditing, Accounting Science, Bookkeeping

and Human Resources Management.

Various additional training and development initia-tives were undertaken during the reporting period. In

order to improve performance management in theorganisation, Provincial Managers, Unit Heads and

other supervisors attended a course in Performance

Management, offered by the Centre for Open Learningof the University of Cape Town on 11, 12 and 13

September 2007. Another group training intervention

was an Office Management Course for Administrative

Assistants, presented during November 2007 by the

Vaal Triangle Campus of the North-West University. It

covered topics such as the essence of customer service,

telephone etiquette and business communication

skills.

Another learning intervention that occurred during the

reporting period was a four week heritage exchange

program to Germany for three SAHRA staff members

at the invitation of Professor Nicholas Conard, Head

of the Institute for Prehistory at the University of

Tubingen. The programme enabled SAHRA staff

members to participate in field excavations at Hohle

Fels in the province of Barren Wurtenburg.

Other training interventions addressed individual

training needs as identified during normal perform-

ance discussions to increase skills competency within

the organisation. These included short courses pre-

sented by external training providers in inter alia

report writing and minute taking, event management

and computer literacy, such as Advanced Excel,

Microsoft Access and Accpac.

An Induction Workshop took place during September

2007 with the intention to ensure that new staff mem-

bers settled with ease into their new positions and the

organisation as a whole.

TABLE 4.1: TOTAL NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO RECEIVED TRAINING FROM 1 APRIL 2007 TO 31 MARCH 2008

OCCUPATIONAL CATEGORIES MALE FEMALE TOTAL

A C I W A C I W

Legislators, senior officials and managers 6 2 0 1 3 2 0 1 15

Technicians and associate professionals 7 2 0 0 3 2 0 2 16

Clerks 0 1 1 0 10 2 2 0 16

Service and Sales Workers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Skilled Agricultural and Fishery Workers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Craft and Related Trade Workers 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1

Plant and Machinery Operators 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Elementary Occupation 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

TOTAL 9 1 0 2 2 3 0 5 48

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6. LEAVE UTILIZATION

6.1 Sick leaveStaff members are entitled to 36 sick leave days over a three year period as determined by the Basic Conditions of Employment Act, No.95 of 1995.

TABLE 5.1: SICK LEAVE - 1 APRIL 2007 TO 31 MARCH 2008

TABLE 5.2: DISABILITY LEAVE - 1 APRIL 2007 TO 31 MARCH 2008

SALARY BAND TOTAL DAYS % DAYS WITH MEDICAL NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES % OF TOTAL EMPLOYEES AVERAGE DAYS PER ESTIMATED COST

CERTIFICATE USING SICK LEAVE USING SICK LEAVE EMPLOYEE

Lower skilled 0 0 0 0 0

Skilled 46 100 % 1 1 46

Highly skilled production 0 0 0 0 0

Highly skilled supervision 58 100% 1 1 58

Senior management 0 0 0 0 0 0

Total 104 100% 2 2 52 R

6.2 Disability LeaveTwo staff members required extended sick leave in addition to the normal sick leave entitlement of 36 days per three year cycle. In additionto this, the previous Assistant Director: Administration was on permanent disability leave during the year under review.

SALARY BAND TOTAL DAYS % DAYS WITH MEDICAL NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES % OF TOTAL EMPLOYEES AVERAGE DAYS PER ESTIMATED COST

CERTIFICATE USING SICK LEAVE USING SICK LEAVE EMPLOYEE

Lower skilled 21 48% 5 50% 2.1 795

Skilled 120 68% 19 95% 6 100 588

Highly skilled production 81 56% 20 63% 2.53 51 204

Highly skilled supervision 155 77% 14 60.87% 6.74 152 555

Senior management 19 42 % 4 100% 4.75 35 101

Total 396 67% 62 70% 6 340 243

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6.3 Annual leaveStaff members are entitled to 22 vacation leave days per annum with the exception of those staff members that have been with the organization for more than ten years, who

receive 26 leave days. Leave days that are not taken within the six months following the previous annual leave period are forfeited in terms of the organisation’s leave policy.

TABLE 5.3: ANNUAL LEAVE – 1 APRIL 2007 TO 31 MARCH 2008

SALARY BANDS TOTAL DAYS TAKEN AVERAGE PER EMPLOYEE

Lower skilled 66 7

Skilled 225 11

Highly skilled production 454 14

Highly skilled supervision 323 14

Senior Management 75 19

Total 1 143 14

TABLE 5.4: CAPPED LEAVE – 1 APRIL 2007 TO 31 MARCH 2008

SALARY BANDS TOTAL DAYS OF CAPPED LEAVE TAKEN AVERAGE NUMBER OF DAYS TAKEN PER EMPLOYEE AVERAGE CAPPED LEAVE PER EMPLOYEE AS AT 31 MARCH 2007

Lower skilled 0 0 0

Skilled 0 0 0

Highly skilled production 5 1.6 days 13

Highly skilled supervision 0 0 0

Senior management 0 0 0

Total 5 1.6 13

Note: Capped leave refers to leave accumulated before the adoption of the new leave policy in April 2005 that requires staff to take all accumulated leave within six months after the previous annual

leave period.

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7. HIV/AIDS AND HEALTH PROMOTION PROGRAMMES

SAHRA continued to promote a non-discriminatory work environment in which employees living with HIV/Aids can be able to openly acknowledge their status without fear of

being discriminated against.

8. LABOUR RELATIONS

8.1 Disciplinary ActionsThere were three disciplinary actions that were taken during the reporting period due to gross misconduct, as indicated in Table 6.1. One resulted into a dismissal and two led

to a written warning and final written warning.

TABLE 5.5: LEAVE PAYOUTS – 1 APRIL 2007 TO 31 MARCH 2008

REASON TOTAL AMOUNT NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES AVERAGE PAYMENT PER EMPLOYEE

Leave payout for 2007/08 due to non-utilisation of leave for the previous cycle 0 0 0

Capped leave payouts on termination of service for 2007/08 0 0 0

Current leave payout on termination of service for 2007/08 R103 294.58 8 R12 911.82

Total R103 294.58 8 R12 911.82

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TABLE 6.1: DISCIPLINARY ACTION – 1 APRIL 2007 TO 31 MARCH 2008

OCCUPATIONAL CATEGORIES MALE FEMALE TOTAL

Legislators, Senior Officials and Managers A C I W A C I W

Technicians and associate professionals 1 1

Clerks 1 1

Service and Sales Workers

Skilled agriculture and fishery workers

Craft and related workers 1 1

Plant and machine operators

Elementary occupations

Total Permanent 3

8.2 Grievances lodged

TABLE 6.2: GRIEVANCES LODGED – 1 APRIL 2007 TO 31 MARCH 2008

NUMBER % OF TOTAL

Number of grievances resolved

Number of grievances not resolved 1 100 %

Total 1

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8.3 Disputes and StrikesThere was one dispute lodged with the CCMA as a

result of a dismissal. The staff member argued that he

was unfairly dismissed. However, a solution was

reached by both parties in the early stages of the

process.

9. INJURY ON DUTYThere was one injury on duty reported during the

period under review.

10. UTILISATION OF CONSULTANTSDeloitte was the successful bidder after adverts were

placed by SAHRA, inviting interested parties to

tender for the development of the Remuneration

System.

11. POLICY DEVELOPMENTSAHRA’s disciplinary policy was reviewed during the

reporting period. Other existing human resource

policies and systems will be reviewed and outstand-

ing policies developed during the next reporting period

after the appointment of a Principal Officer of Human

Resource Management.

RED LOCATION EASTERN CAPE.

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Information & Auxiliary Services

THE SAHRA REGISTRYThe Archives of the South African Heritage Resources

Agency contains a wealth of heritage conservation

records. This information was generated by SAHRA andits predecessors over a period dating back to almost 100

years ago. It contributes to the cultural identity and

collective memory of the nation.

The SAHRA Archives are renowned in South Africa to be

an excellent resource for cultural heritage conservation

information and had been frequented prolifically over

the past year by researchers, students and general public

for research purposes.

Visits to SAHRA Provincial Offices in Gauteng,

Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal, as well as the Satel-

lite Office in Gauteng, were undertaken during the yearunder review by the Senior Registry Clerk. These visits

were to monitor the successful use of the SAHRA Filing

Systems and to provide ongoing training to administra-

tive staff in these offices. A presentation on filing and

registry practice was also delivered by a Registry officialat the Induction Workshop for new staff in September

2007.

Registry officials also conducted a stocktaking exercise

of the approximately seven thousand files in the custody

of the Archives during October and November 2007, the

purpose being to ensure the continuous availability of

information.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGYDuring the review period the Information Technology

section focused on enhancing security and accessibility

and the effective maintenance of SAHRA’s information

technology systems.

The IT section provides a service to approximately 80

permanent users, a number of interns and temporary

users at Head Office, the Gauteng satellite office and

the nine provincial offices. It delivers technical

support services through a variety of methods, includ-

ing on-site support by technicians, as well as by means

of the telephone, web, e-mail, and remote systems

management. The installation of a remote access

system has had a considerable decrease in the cost of

on-site support, as well as having provided the IT staff

with the tools required to do regular checks on the 11

servers which it is responsible for. The two IT staff

members dealt with an average of 130 helpdesk

related calls per month, which come in from the more

than 80 users.

The IT section has strong and reliable partnerships in

place with relevant service providers, as well as

hardware and software vendors and consultants.

Regular contact with Internet service providers across

the country also ensures that the IT section stays

abreast of bandwidth problems or scheduled down

times and network improvements.

During the review period the IT section visited the nine

provincial offices, as well as the Gauteng Satellite

Office to provide technical support. These visits

provided for valuable on-site support, as well as first

hand contact with the users at the various offices. On-

site training on various areas was also provided during

these visits, as well as the opportunity to evaluate

equipment.

An amount of R640 000 was spent on upgrading

hardware and software within the organisation. Each

of the nine provincial offices, as well as members of

Executive Management was provided with upgraded

notebooks, whilst each provincial office received a new

digital projector. Digital cameras in each of the

provincial offices were reviewed and where necessary,

replaced by newer cameras which are capable of

taking wide-angle photographs. Various faulty

printers and scanners were replaced at Head Office to

provide adequate tools for staff, whilst a number of

new desktop computers were purchased for new

positions which were filled at Head Office.

In order to further improve responsiveness to the needs

of SAHRA users, the IT staff is required to stay abreast

of changing technologies. This was accomplished by

attending new and innovative product launches,

workshops and training sessions related to the various

network and system applications in use. Both mem-

bers of the IT section attended a Novell Network 6.5

Administration course at Torque IT in Cape Town

during November 2007. It provided the staff with

insight into the newer version for Novell system

software, which resulted in more effective implementa-

tion of tasks.

The members of the IT section were also fortunate to

attend the annual Novell BrainShare 2008 conference

in Salt Lake City, USA, in March 2008. An opportu-

nity to learn first hand about products and systems, as

well as about future plans for various applications

proved to be most beneficial in terms of planning

ahead and applying best practices. Networking and

interacting with Novell users, administrators, techni-

cians and vendors from across the globe, whilst

attending various training sessions and talks related to

matters such as security, ICT regulations, best prac-

tices, back-up and recovery scenarios were found to be

most valuable.

Continued compliance with auditory requirements and

guidelines ensured that SAHRA information technol-

ogy systems remained secure. As members of the

SAHRA Crisis Support Team the IT staff put consider-

able time and effort into the development of a Business

Continuity Plan for SAHRA that would enable the

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organization to effectively respond to a disaster that

may result in the complete or partial destruction of its

Head Office building. In line with this, a contingency

server was purchased and set-up. Regular off-site

storage of data is also part of SAHRA’s continuity

planning which will ensure that data is secure and

retrievable in the event of a disaster.

SAHRA’s website continued to attract a large number

of both international and national visitors. Visitors

are always impressed by the content of the site, which

provides for a very informative experience. SAHRA

officials also continue to make use of the access they

have to internal information via the SAHRA Intranet.

THE SAHRA LIBRARYThe SAHRA Library is well-known in South Africa as

an excellent research resource for heritage conserva-

tion literary material. It has been regularly frequented

over the past year by researchers, students and the

general public. Eight hundred and twenty-six of these

requests were attended to.

The SAHRA Library has experienced a productive year

with the acquisition of 549 books relating to the

various heritage resource conservation disciplines. In

total, 1 037 books and 1 278 journal articles which are

relevant to SAHRA’s diverse specialised fields of

interest, were catalogued and indexed. Literary and

audio-visual materials were purchased after a selec-

tion process by the Senior Librarian and with the

approval of the Book Review Committee.

In order to render cataloguing less complicated and

more accurate the Library acquired the 22nd edition of

the Dewey Decimal Classification System. This

acquisition proved very useful in cataloguing books

relating to the information technology, business and

heritage sectors.

The SAHRA Library uses the INMAGIC recording

and monitoring system and newly acquired records

are regularly exported to the SAHRA website. This

information is therefore available via the Internet to

a wide variety of interested users.

Two Library Science students from the University of

Fort Hare did their mid-year experiential learning in

the SAHRA Library. In late November 2007, as part

of a Department of Arts and Culture Internship

Program, Ms Nolubabalo Matikane was appointed

as an intern in the SAHRA Library for a period of one

year.

Another regular activity has been the setting-up of

internal book displays to coincide with major na-

tional commemorative days such as Heritage Day,

Youth Day, Women’s Day, Freedom Day and Africa

Day to create awareness about literary resources in

the Library.

Library officials have attended regular INMAGIC

training courses and a course on People Manage-

ment. The Assistant Librarian also attended the Day

of Celebration of Heritage at Pollsmoor Prison.

Library staff also made a presentation during the

SAHRA Induction Workshop for new staff members,

held in September 2007.

A Library official visited the Free State Provincial

Office, as well as the Gauteng Provincial and Satel-

lite Offices in order to set up literary resource centres

in these offices and to provide basic training in

maintaining these book selections.

Library officials have been instrumental in assisting

with the drafting of a Library Policy, its purpose being

to ensure optimum accessibility to and protection of

literary resources in the custody of the Library.

AUXILIARY SERVICESStaff in the Auxiliary Services has rendered commend-

able service to ensure that the SAHRA Head Office

premises is adequately maintained and secure. This

also entails the provision of the necessary infrastructure.

During the review period the building was painted in its

entirety externally, as well as selected sections of the

interior. Other maintenance aspects included the

refurbishing of the parking area, as well as the repair

of a historical staircase internally. In addition, the

SAHRA boardroom was fitted out with a new carpet

and high standard audio-visual equipment for the

purpose of recording meetings and the screening of

PowerPoint presentations.

In terms of safety and security, all electrical wiring and

installations on the premises were inspected, after which

remedial repairs were carried out. The major deliver-

able in this regard was that an Electrical Compliance

Certificate was awarded on completion of the repairs.

In addition, the building was inspected by the local Fire

Chief to verify that the fire fighting equipment within the

building is adequate and fully functional. A document

stating a clean bill of safety was issued accordingly.

Several staff members attended a Wardens Training

Course at the Disaster Management Centre of the City

of Cape Town. Subsequent to this training, a Safety

Workshop was held at the SAHRA Head Office on 8

August 2007 to ensure greater awareness among staff

with regards to matters concerning safety and security.

During the period under review a Service Level Agree-

ment was entered into between SAHRA and the travel

agency, Harvey World Travel Manor. The purpose of

this agreement is to ensure the facilitation of more cost

effective travelling of SAHRA officials in the execution

of their duties.

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The Inventory of the National Estate

INTRODUCTIONThe year under review has been marked by the

completion and consolidation of the work done on

the first phase of the SAHRIS and National Audit

Project. The aim of the project, approved by Parlia-

ment, is the inventorisation of movable and immove-

able state-owned heritage resources, as required by

Section 39 of the National Heritage Resources Act,

No. 25 of 1999. The development of the South

African Heritage Resources Information System

(SAHRIS), as a repository for heritage information

and a tool for the management of heritage re-

sources, forms part of the project.

Phase 1 which would form the basis of Phase 2, was

broken into the following five stages, each of which

has delivered detailed volumes of documentation

that report on progress and completed products at

the end of each interval:

Part A: High-priority pilot audits of movable

objects

Part B: Review of status of heritage sector in terms

of its inventorisation and available skills,

resulting in the development of stakeholders

and collections databases (reported on

during the previous review period)

Part C: Review and development of appropriate data

coding standards

Part D: Assessment of technology and information

management systems with recommenda-

tions for the development of the SAHRIS

System

Part E: Development of a Project Plan for Phase 2

PROJECT PLAN FOR PHASE 2 OFNATIONAL AUDIT PROJECTThe final outcome of Phase 1 of the SAHRIS and

National Audit Project was the development of a

project plan for Phase 2 which will consist of the

ongoing development of the various components of

the SAHRIS System and the roll-out of the audit to

other heritage custodians.

EXISTING DATABASESSAHRA and other heritage custodians have

databases used for recording, monitoring and

HIGH PRIORITY AUDITSConsidering the scope of the National Audit, the impor-

tance of carrying out a pilot audit project before em-

barking on the roll out of the entire audit was identified.

Therefore five high priority pilot audits were done within

the following State-owned sites: Grootte Schuur Estate,

Parliament, Tuynhuys, Union Buildings and Bryntirion,

as reported on during the previous review period. The

Site Audit Programme was developed to enable effective

and comprehensive inventorying and building of digital

databases of the heritage objects housed in these locali-

ties. This could be used at each audit site to collect and

manage the inventories of heritage objects.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE SAHRIS SYSTEMThe work that commenced previously with regards to the

design of the SAHRIS System was continued during the

period under review. This included the finalisation of the

Data Coding Standard that defines the data require-

ments for the representation of heritage resources, as

well as the processes, associated with the management

of these resources.

A number of database models were developed on which

the Phase 2 SAHRIS System Specification could be

constructed, including:

• The Site Audit Programme Database: for the audits

conducted at the high-priority sites.

• The Exemplars Database: to support the capturing

of specific heritage resources as a way in which to

check the approach for the data codification.

• The Controlled Vocabulary Database: to hold the

initial versions of each of the thesauri identified

within the scope of Phase 1 of the project.

The System Specification that provides a high-level

vision of the system expected to be in place for SAHRIS,

was also delivered during the review period.

FANIE ELOFF, POT WITH HORNS.

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management purposes. To incorporate and to use these

databases the Migration Programme was developed.

This programme moves the data collected within the

Site Audit Programme into the Central Audit Database

on SQL Server. While this exercise was done for the high

priority audits mentioned above, more work is still

needed to migrate other existing databases into the

Central Audit Database on the SQL Server.

The National Inventory Unit has continued with the

capturing and updating of data associated with

heritage resources, previously declared as national

monuments. During the review period the work on the

CANON AT SIMONSTOWN NAVAL BASE. SCULPTURE NARA MAMBASA. FAR RIGHT: BEAKER.

digitisation of the gazette notices was completed, and

another project was started to capture the information

concerning the cadastral data for each heritage site.

This data will be used in the GIS component of the

SAHRIS. Once this project is completed, this informa-

tion will be prepared for uploading to SAHRA’s

website for access by interested parties.

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DUTCH PROPOSALA proposal for a financial contribution towards the

inventorisation and digitisation of heritage objects in

National Museums was developed during the review

period and submitted to the Dutch government. This

was a result of a visit of a South African delegation of

representatives of SAHRA, Iziko and the Northern

Flagship Institution to the Netherlands in March

2007. The ongoing bilateral negotiations between

South Africa and the Netherlands will determine the

outcome of this proposal. If successful, a plan for the

project will be presented for implementation during

the 2008/2009 financial year.

WOMAN.

WAY FORWARDThe focus during the next review period will be on the

launching of Phase 2 of the SAHRIS and National

Audit Project. The first step would be the development of

Terms of Reference for the construction of the SAHRIS

System and the appointment of a suitable service

provider to execute the work. Consultation with

relevant stakeholders in the heritage sector would be an

essential component of the planning and implementa-

tion of the SAHRIS system development and roll-out of

the National Audit. This process will ensure

sustainability, skills development and skills transfer

beyond the project life-cycle.

SELWYN PEKEUR TOWNSHIP SCENE.JUG WITH THREE FIGURES.

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HERITAGE RESOURCES MANAGEMENT:HEAD OFFICE UNITS

Archaeology, Palaeontologyand Meteorite Unit

Underwater CulturalHeritage Unit

Architectural HeritageLandscape Unit

Grading & Declarations Unit

Heritage Objects Unit

Burial Grounds & Graves Unit

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APMHOB PERMIT COMMITTEESAHRA is grateful to the members of the Archaeology,

Palaeontology, Meteorite, Heritage Objects and

Burials (APMHOB) Permit Committee, who have

served an unusually long period and have continued to

advise us while awaiting the establishment of the new

SAHRA Council. We thank Dr. Janette Deacon (Chair-

person and Council Member), Dr. Ciraj Rassool

(Council), Dr. Otsile Ntsoane (Council), Mr. Jaco

Boshoff, Dr. William de Klerk, Mr. Frank Ledimo, Ms.

Irene Mafune, Mr. Makgolo Makgolo, Mr. Siyakha

Mnguni, Ms. Nicky Rousseau and Professor Bruce

Rubidge for their stalwart service. Professor Peter

Mtuze served until he retired. Dr. Uwe Reimold served

as the representative for Meteorites until he moved

abroad. Prof. Izak Rust was nominated by the Geologi-

cal Society. The next permit committee will serve from

1 June 2008.

Permit applications for the past three financial years

were as follows:

The increase in heritage objects permits is notable

and the unit has looked into the possibility of split-

ting the permit committee so that a greater number

of expert advisors may be appointed for heritage

objects. A slight decrease in archaeology permits

suggests a possible decline in research and in Phase

2 work. However, as a considerably larger number of

permit applications have been received in mid-2008

than usual, this may merely have reflected a tempo-

rary shift.

All permit applications are circulated to permit

committee and their comments are assessed and a

decision negotiated. Some permits can be issued

within a week or two and once the permit report is

reviewed and recorded, SAHRA staff members are

not involved in any further action. Other permit

applications however have occupied staff for very

much more time, sometimes for as long as six years

after the initial application.

Prestwich PlaceThe Prestwich Place Memorial for the human remains

from Prestwich Place built by the City of Cape Town

and overseen by the City, SAHRA and the Prestwich

Place Project Committee (PPPC) was finished in late2007 and the remains were taken to their final resting

place at the end of April 2008. They were to have been

moved in December 2007 but after an appeal by

traditional leaders to be included in the process this

was delayed. An event to celebrate this is planned forSeptember 2008. Regular meetings with the City and

PPPC regarding the process to be followed and the

development of the Ossuary and the interpretive

centre; regular inspections of the mortuaries; clean-

ing; restoration after theft (a geyser and copper pipeswere stolen from the Somerset mortuary and the

resultant flooding necessitated replacing and

repacking of some boxes.), as well as fixing of locks

and security doors, all of which occupied the APM

Unit on a regular basis.

Archaeology, Palaeontology andMeteorite Unit

PERMIT APPLICATIONS 2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008

Archaeology & Burials 97 105 65

Archaeology Export 34 43 19

Palaeontology:

Research & Export 9 15 13

Meteorites 5 0 0

Shipwrecks 3 2 5

Heritage Objects 15 12 46

TOTAL 163 180 148

1=Issued by APM Unit

2=Issued by APM Unit on behalf of Underwater Cultural Heritage

Unit

3=Issued by Heritage Objects Unit

THE SITE INSPECTION TEAM OF SAHRA, THE COH MANAGING AUTHORITY ANDGDACE, BESIDE THE SWARTKRANS BRECCIAS,

MONITORING GRAFFITI IN THE PUBLIC AREA STERKFONTEIN.

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Finally, on 24 April, around 1500 human remains fromthe Somerset mortuary and, on 25 April, around 500

human remains from Woodstock mortuary were relo-cated to the Ossuary, thus fulfilling the instruction of the

Minister. The move was managed by the APM Unit andthe Archaeology Contracts Office. It was accomplishedwith the help of volunteers from SAHRA, the City,

District Six, the PPPC and interested parties, whoformed a human chain conveying the boxes from the

mortuaries to the transport and then from the transportto the Ossuary. We were accompanied by members ofthe religious group forum, who have been involved in

the process throughout. Particular thanks need to go toFather Oliver of the Interfaith Group who made himself

available so often.

Transfer of Responsibility for BurialPermit ApplicationsThe APM Unit has been overloaded as it is responsible

not only for national issues in terms of the Act but also

for the APM concerns in seven provinces in terms of

agency arrangements. The Unit has found burial permit

applications for the relocation of burial grounds and

graves particularly time-consuming, it has requested

the Burial Grounds and Graves (BGG) Unit to take over

the management of permit applications for burials

dating between 60 years and AD 1500. Over the past

year discussions have taken place with Mr. Troy Phili

and Mr. Ndukuyakhe Ndlovu. It is expected that a

member of the BGG will spend some time in the APM

Unit in mid-2008before taking over the management of

these applications.

Monitoring and Evaluationof SitesIn August 2007 a memorandum of understanding was

signed between SAHRA and the Managing Authority of

the ‘Cradle of Humankind’ that among other things

endorses the current twice yearly monitoring and

evaluation site inspections at the Fossil Hominid

Sites and establishes the process for reporting. In

2007 Mrs. Leslie and Jennifer Kitto from the Gauteng

office attended site inspections with the Managing

Authority in May and October. In October the

annual COH Scientists’ meeting was held at

Sterkfontein.

The APM Unit plans to initiate a similar site inspec-

tion monitoring and evaluation meeting at Taung in

June 2008 in co-operation with the SAHRA North

West office and relevant stakeholders.

A site inspection was also conducted at Bloeddrift in

October 2007 by Dr. Jerardino and Mr. Salomon. The

visit was a joint project by SAHRA, the Transhex Mine

and the McGregor Museum of Kimberley. The

intention was to advise on parameters for a Site

Management Plan for the rock engraving site and to

initiate a photographic site monitoring survey of the

site which will be undertaken by the McGregor

Museum.

Provincial Heritage Resources Authorities (PHRAs)

As indicated in previous Annual Reports, until the

PHRAs appoint qualified archaeologists to manage

heritage resources in the provinces, as required by the

legislation, it will not be possible to manage our

archaeological and palaeontological heritage as well

as South Africa’s rich heritage deserves to be man-

aged. The hands-on management of these resources

by Heritage Western Cape and AMAFA has shown the

advantage of management at a provincial level when

authorities have the requisite capacity.

Dr. Jeradino has given help with the process of

declaration of Baboon Point by Heritage Western

Cape and made a presentation in April 2007 at the

public meeting associated with the declaration

CRADLE OF HUMANKIND SCIENTIST’S MEETING: A) DR LEE BERGER, MR JOHN SIBANYONI (COH MANAGING AUTHORITY) AND MR NEO JANUARY (SAHRA GAUTENG),B) DR JUDY MAGUIRE (CONSULTANT) AND MRS MARY LESLIE. PHOTOS: A. SALOMON.

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process. The SAHRA Unit Manager, Mrs. Mary Leslie,

attends monthly permit meetings of the HWC APM

Unit and receives notifications of the permit

applications for comment from AMAFA.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL ANDPALAEONTOLOGICAL COMPONENTS OFIMPACT ASSESSMENTSThe increase in the number of impact assessments

undertaken in South Africa in the past decade is

illustrated in this report and indicates that we should

expect to receive in the order of 400 Archaeological

Impact Assessment (AIA) reports in 2008. The increase

has resulted in part from unprecedented economic

development and in part from the requirements that

have been established by various legislations to ensure

that Impact Assessments are done. These AIA reports

record the significance of sites threatened by develop-

ment and they allow heritage authorities to arrange for

their protection, excavation, dating and recording, and

then to approve their destruction. The impact assess-

ment process means, therefore, that even when heritage

sites are destroyed, information about the lives of the

people who lived there can be saved.

Where Provincial Heritage Resources Authorities have

not yet appointed archaeologists, the Archaeology,

Palaeontology and Meteorite (APM) Unit contributes

to this process, wherever possible, by sending Review

Comments (or records of decision) on these Archaeol-

ogy and Palaeontology Impact Assessment reports to

developers and stakeholders.

The Unit has provided 277 Archaeological and Palae-

ontological Review Comments in the past year. General

correspondence associated with these reports includes

hundreds of responses to notifications of intent to

develop, a number of exemptions and a number of

transfers to Heritage Western Cape and AMAFA. It is

clear that SAHRA is not receiving all reports and an

attempt will be made to redress this through communi-

cation with the environmental and mining authorities

in the provinces.

Palaeotechnical ReportsSAHRA has contracted various palaeontologists to

prepare two technical reports – the Palaeontological

Heritage of the Northern Cape and the Palaeontologi-

cal Heritage of the Eastern Cape. It is hoped thatsimilar reports will be done for all the provinces for

which SAHRA is currently responsible. These reports

will provide a tool that can be used by heritage man-

agers, in conjunction with published geological maps,

to assess the potential significance of proposed devel-opments and to take appropriate action. They will also

provide a description of the heritage significance of

the palaeontological resources of various provinces

that can be used as a source for pamphlets and other

educational documentation. They may even become aresource for palaeontological researchers and indicate

areas where there is currently insufficient knowledge.

Archaeological Survey MappingProjectThe APM Unit has continued with the ArchaeologySurvey Mapping of archaeological and palaeontologi-cal Impact Assessment reports, while waiting to seehow the Archaeological Register Site Database will

interface with the National Heritage ResourcesInventory System project (SAHRIS). Mr. StevenWalker has established and managed a database of allreports that SAHRA APM Unit receives. Ms.Mamakomoreng Nkhasi mapped over 1000 Archaeo-

logical Impact Assessment or Phase 1 AIA reportsbefore she had to return to the National Museum inBloemfontein. Ms. Roxsanne Dyssell has assisted withthe management of the reports and is learning to mapthem. The unit is currently sending all archaeologists

MOVING THE HUMAN REMAINS FROM THE MORTUARIES TO THEIR FINAL RESTINGPLACE IN THE OSSUARY BUILT IN GREEN POINT AS INSTRUCTED BY THE MINISTER.

ROCK ENGRAVING FROM THE BLOEDDRIFT SITE, ABOUT 30 KM INLAND FROMALEXANDER BAY ALONG THE SOUTHERN BANK OF THE ORANGE RIVER.

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lists of the reports that SAHRA currently has with arequest to send us all the reports we do not have. In this

way, we hope to produce fairly comprehensive maps ofeach province indicating the location of Archaeologi-cal Impact Assessments, which will be identified by

author, date and title so that heritage authorities,developers and practitioners can ascertain where

impact assessments have been done and how to obtaincopies.

CONFERENCES, WORKSHOPS ANDMEETINGSThe Unit hosted a mini-workshop in January 2007 aspart of regular annual meetings between SAHRA and

the PHRAs and the Association of Southern AfricanProfessional Archaeologists to discuss and set policy

and standards in archaeology. It was not possible toinclude the Provincial Heritage Resources Authoritiesin these meetings as in the past as there was a change-

over in archaeological unit staff both at Heritage

Western Cape and AMAFA at about this time. Mrs.

Leslie gave a presentation at the Association of South-

ern African Professional Archaeologists CRM (contract

archaeology) meeting in May 2007. Mr Andrew

Salomon attended the Museum Archaeologists Work-

shop in Bloemfontein in June 2007 and delivered a

presentation entitled: Preventive Conservation Collec-

tions Care. A paper was delivered by Steven Walker, M.

Leslie, and M. Nkhasi in March 2007 at the Associa-

tion of Southern African Professional Archaeologists

conference, which was essentially a progress report on

the Archaeology Survey Mapping Project. Dr. Antonieta

Jerardino attended the 73rd annual meeting of the

Society for American Archaeology in March 2008 and

gave a paper on Shellfish gathering and marine

palaeoecology during the Middle and Late Pleistocene:

perspectives from Cave 13b, Pinnacle Point, South

Africa.

ARCHAEOLOGY, FOSSILS AND THE LAWThe pamphlet Archaeology, Fossils and the Law, first

printed last year has been particularly successful and

has had to be reprinted this year.

HERITAGE AT RISK AND SUSTAINABLETOURISMThere is a desperate need to rehabilitate many of our

major archaeological sites and at the same time to

make them available to visitors and to tourists. As

previously indicated these sites are an un-renewable

and fragile resource and, for sustainable use, it is

important that adequate interpretations, infrastructure,

conservation measures, and professional management

and monitoring are put in place. To do this properly

requires funding. We have again sought funding for this

important task because many sites – even sites cur-

rently nominated for world heritage status – are in

urgent need of infrastructure and conservation.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND PALAEONTOLOGICAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT REPORTSAS MAPPED BY END OF MARCH 2008.

OUTREACH, EDUCATION AND TRAININGMrs. Vhonani Ramalamula joined the Tübingen

University excavation in July 2007 in Germany led by

Professor Nicholas Conard at the sites of Hohler Fels

and Vogelherd in the province of Baden-Württemberg.

These sites form part of the Early Prehistory and Qua-

ternary Ecology project. In October-November 2007

Mrs. Colette Scheermeyer studied in the United States

of America at the invitation of Professor Lynn Meskell

of the Department of Anthropology at Stanford

University.

The APM Unit staff, under leadership of Mrs. Colette

Scheermeyer, prepared information about key

archaeological sites for the Western Cape history

teachers and has offered to continue to do this.

The Unit hopes to apply for a post for a young

archaeologist to develop material for the trans-

formation and dissemination of archaeological

materials and intends in this way to make available

to the public and especially to young students, much

of the scientific data store at SAHRA.

CONCLUSIONIn conclusion, the unit has continued to work hard to

meet the demands placed on it. The factor that would

make the most difference to the successful management

and protection of archaeological and palaeontological

remains and meteorites would be the appointment of

specialists, and the establishment of Archaeology

Palaeontology and Meteorite Units and Permit Commit-

tees in the provinces that currently do not have these. A

crucial issue therefore, for these resources, is that a

decision be made very soon about the future capacity of

provincial heritage resources authorities that have not

yet appointed archaeologists.

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DATE OF PUBLICATION

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INTRODUCTIONIn 2006/7, the Underwater Cultural Heritage Unit at

the South African Heritage Resources Agency began to

develop strategies for the management of underwater

cultural heritage through a shifted philosophical

mindset. Instead of merely listing sites of cultural

significance, the members of the unit looked more

closely at the interpretation and meaning of the sites

in the South African context. The unit attempted to

adopt a holistic and seamless view of heritage man-

agement that examined the influence of the underwa-

ter sites on their terrestrial backdrops and vice versa.

By adopting this philosophy, it was possible for the

unit to better understand the influences of heritage on

society and to make better decisions for heritage

management in 2007/8.

The unit set out to complete several major projects

during the year. These included:

Declaration of sites: The unit is in the process of

compiling information to be included in a submission

for declaration of pre-colonial, stone walled fish traps

along the south coast between Cape Agulhas and

Mossel Bay. The unit also offered assistance to the

declaration process for Lake Funduzi.

International co-operation: The unit had already

started developing international ties with both the

Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Joint projects

with the United Kingdom revolved around the protec-

tion and management of the Mendi wreck site. This

included further recording of the site, development of

management and protection strategies and the

collection of research for future study.

Policy Development: In light of recent public meet-

ings on SAHRA’s historic shipwreck policy and the

UNESCO Convention on the Protection of Underwa-

ter Cultural Heritage, the unit involved itself in the

development of new policies that will serve to better

manage Underwater Cultural Heritage Sites for all

South Africans.

Public Initiatives: Apart from day-to-day education

initiatives incorporating public lectures, schools

programmes and the dispersal of educational materi-

als, the underwater cultural heritage unit continued

to produce signage that is to be erected at important

wreck sites.

IDENTIFICATION AND FORMALPROTECTION OF NATIONAL HERITAGESITESThe Underwater Cultural Heritage Unit is tasked with

the identification, protection and management of the

underwater cultural heritage along South Africa’s

coastline and in South Africa’s internal waters and

rivers. In order for this task to be successfully com-

pleted, it has been necessary to begin by identifying

sites which broadly represent the full spectrum of

South African society and which serve the national

Underwater Cultural Heritage Unit

WRECK SURVEY, DURBAN: PREPARING TO INSPECT POSSIBLE WRECK SITES.

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These sites have been identified as potential National

Heritage Sites in that they are widely representative

and relevant. The sites incorporate the “seamless

heritage” management approach of the unit in that

they combine a number of spheres related to Underwa-

ter Cultural Heritage including shipwrecks, human

exploitation of marine resources, related terrestrial

structures and development, related living heritage

and two way international influence. The sites are also

representative of South Africa’s cultural diversity and

demonstrate the relevance of Underwater Cultural

Heritage to all South Africans.

Stone Walled Pre-Colonial Fish TrapsWhen the Underwater Cultural Heritage Unit identi-

fied these sites as potential National Heritage Sites,

little was known regarding their origin and age.

Research seemed to indicate that these structures were

built and used long before European and Arab explor-

ers ventured into southern African waters. The first

historical evidence of the traps came from descriptions

by early Dutch settlers who were expanding their

territories north-east along the coast. Added to this,

research into effective use of the traps indicated that

their use is limited by tides and phases of the moon.

The walls of the traps are most deeply covered by

rising tides during the full and new moon phases

(spring tides). The increased depth of water over the

walls allows larger fish over the walls. When the tide

recedes, the fish are trapped behind the stone walls and

are more easily caught. Modern users of the traps have

further suggested that the traps are most effective at

night during new moon spring tides or during full

moon spring tides where the moon is hidden by

overcast conditions. The reason for this appears to be

that the fish can see the walls when illuminated and

can thus avoid being trapped. The use of these traps is,

therefore highly dependant on sea levels.

heritage interests of all South Africans. The goal of

this process is that these sites be declared as National

Heritage Sites.

In 2006/7, three separate sites were identified for

future protection. These were:

• Stone walled pre-colonial fish traps between Cape

Point and Mossel Bay, Western Cape;

• Arniston/Waenhuiskrans/Cassiesbaai, Western

Cape; and

• The wreck of the Mendi, United Kingdom and

Memorials, South Africa

Although the South African Heritage Resources

Agency is not a research organisation, it is necessary to

carry out certain research to better understand poten-

tial heritage sites and their significance. To this end,

the unit has gathered as much data as possible regard-

ing the traps for inclusion in a nomination document.

Although minimal information was available, it

seemed that nomination would be a relatively simple

process. As the document approached completion,

however, new research in the form of an as yet incom-

plete Master ’s thesis undertaken through the Univer-

sity of Cape Town’s Archaeology Department brought

fresh evidence to light. For the Underwater Cultural

Heritage Unit, this meant that further research

would be required before submitting nomination

documents for these sites. The research process also

suggested that future archaeological investigation is

imperative.

Various other challenges to nomination and declara-

tion of the fish trap sites have been identified and

addressed. Those traps that fall within heritage

landscapes such as the Cassiesbaai Heritage Land-

scape will nominated as part of the broader site. In

order to facilitate management of sites, representative

clusters of traps have been chosen for initial nomina-

tion. Other sites may be incorporated into future

nomination strategies.

Finally, because the sites span a variety of manage-

ment disciplines within the South African Heritage

Resources Agency it has been necessary to consult and

work closely with other units within the organisation.

For example, the traps are still used in some instances

meaning that the associated Living Heritage compo-

nents must be included and their association with

terrestrial communities means that and archaeologi-

cal elements also play a role.

WRECK INSPECTIONS, TABLE BAY.

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SS MendiOn the 21st of February 1917, the ss Mendi was

rammed by the steamer Darro in the dark fog of the

English Channel. The Mendi sank within 25 minutes

taking almost 650 men with her. The vessel carried

823 members of the 5th Battalion South African Native

Labour Corps destined for duty in France in World War

One. Stories of bravery and acts of selflessness on the

part of those aboard the vessel abound.

The wreck of the Mendi, the memorials to the ship and

her men, and the symbol of struggle, injustice and

unity that they represent make this one of the most

significant events in South Africa’s history. The Under-

water Cultural Heritage Unit has, therefore, identified

the wreck and associated memorials as potential

National Heritage Sites.

During 2007/8 the Unit began gathering information

regarding the wreck site and associated memorials

both in South Africa and in the United Kingdom. In

this regard, the South African Heritage Resources

Agency developed partnerships with English Heritage

and Wessex Archaeology. These partnerships allowed

for extensive research abroad and enabled information

and expertise sharing at a high level. Furthermore, the

partnerships meant that larger projects could be

undertaken.

The unit, together with John Gribble, a project man-

ager at Wessex Archaeology, visited memorial sites in

Johannesburg, Pretoria, Port Elizabeth, Cape Town

and the United Kingdom in order to assess their

condition and the feasibility of including them as part

of a national heritage site nomination. In many of the

South African cases, it was found that the memorials

required extensive renovation or repair. It is important

that a detailed conservation management plan be

developed for these memorial sites. An assessment of

the memorial site in the United Kingdom has deter-

mined that it must be kept separate from any nomina-

tion or protection strategy. The site commemorates not

only those lost during the sinking of the Mendi, but

also members of other foreign corps who were lost at

sea. It is fortunate that the site is well maintained and

that the stone panels engraved with the names of the

men lost with the Mendi have been recently re-in-

stalled and updated with corrections to misspelled

names.

The South African Heritage Resources Agency and

English Heritage jointly funded a multi-beam sonar

assessment of the Mendi wreck site. Wessex Archaeol-

ogy was contracted to carry out survey operations and

produce a report on the condition of the site. The

survey results seem to indicate that the wreck has

deteriorated significantly in the last two to three years.

The cause of deterioration is, however, not known. It

has been suggested that an ROV survey of the site be

undertaken to better understand the site dynamics and

to determine the structural integrity of the wreck.

Members of the unit were invited to attend a com-

memoration for the men of the Mendi in the United

Kingdom in July 2007 and participated in a wreath

laying ceremony over the site of the wreck.

Arniston/Waenhuiskrans andKassiesbaaiThe Western Cape office of the South African Heritage

Resources Agency has proposed the Arniston/

Waenhuiskrans and Kassiesbaai area for nomination

and protection. Although the nomination focuses

largely on terrestrial sites, the area also contains

numerous maritime structures, such as fish traps, and

important shipwrecks. Because of this, the Western

Cape office and the Underwater Cultural Heritage

Unit have co-operated to finalise this ongoing project.

WREATH LAYING CEREMONY ABOARD THE SAS AMATOLA AT THE WRECK SITE OFTHE MENDI (1917).

During the course of 2007/8, members of the Unit

visited the area to asses the sites and continue building

local relationships in order to assist in the monitoring

and protection of the sites. The visits again included

contact with local community members who currently

utilise resources such as fish traps, local law enforce-

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ment officers in the South Africa Police Force, SAN

Parks, Sea Fisheries and harbour administrators.

OUTREACH, EDUCATION AND PUBLICRELATIONSThe Underwater Cultural Heritage Unit has commit-

ted itself to a strong outreach, education and aware-

ness programme. The combined functions of the Unit

within the South African Heritage Resources Agency

and its National Survey of Underwater Heritage have

allowed unprecedented opportunities to take underwa-

ter cultural heritage to communities and stakeholders.

This year the Unit shifted its focus from school learners

to resource users and educators.

The Underwater Cultural Heritage Unit took the

opportunities offered this year to actively promote

underwater cultural heritage through a series of

lectures and talks to groups and individuals who are

responsible to education in their broader environment

or organisation. This year lectures have been presented

to:

• Museum Educators from all coastal provinces

• Port Owen and Laaiplek community meetings

• Edgemead Club

• U3A

• Probus

• Old Boys of the SAS General Botha

• Various interested clubs and societies

The unit reaches the diving community by regularly

contributing articles to Submerge magazine.

Promotion of awareness of underwater cultural herit-

age must be extended beyond direct users of the

resources. It is important to create consciousness of the

goals and practices of conservation and protection

amongst educators, managers, interested parties and

local communities. This year, this was largely achieved

through co-operation with the maritime archaeology

section at IZIKO Museums. A Nautical Archaeology

Society course was arranged by Jaco Boshoff at IZIKO

and was aimed at promoting maritime archaeology

and underwater cultural heritage amongst teachers

and museum educators.

The South African Heritage Resources Agency and

Iziko have co-operated on several other projects

during 2007/8. These include two wreck projects. The

first of these was a survey and identification project in

Gansbaai. Local fishermen discovered a previously

unknown wreck behind the sand dunes north of the

village. The unit, together with the maritime archae-

ologist from Iziko were called to establish the extent of

the remaining wreck, its age and a possible identity.

The team visited the site and surveyed the remaining

ship structure. Some test pits were dug around the

outside of the hull to determine the extent of buried

timber. The site was not disturbed in any way and was

covered following investigations. Early results indicate

that the wreck may be a late 19th or early 20th century

vessel. As yet its identity has not been established. The

location of the vessel behind the dunes and a good

distance from the water remains a mystery.

Iziko Museums have, for a number of years, been

undertaking a slave ship programme revolving around

the wreck of the Dutch vessel Meermin, beached near

Struisbaai in 1766. Since the start of this project, the

Underwater Cultural Heritage Unit has assisted

wherever possible. In 2007/8 the project was expanded

and the unit has become more deeply involved. The

expansion of the project has included a remote sensing

survey in Camps Bay aimed at locating the wreck of

the Portuguese slave vessel Sao Jose (1794). The survey

also brought in the Council for Geoscience as a

partner and they have contributed equipment, person-

nel, expertise and time free of charge. Initial survey

work has been completed and the results will be

forthcoming.

Promotion of underwater cultural heritage can be

further achieved through tourism initiatives. Awareness

projects that were started in the previous year have

come to fruition in 2007/8. Such projects include the

erection of Wreck Route boards at shipwreck sites and

museums as well as at slipways from which divers

launch boats to visit sites are an invaluable tool to

raising awareness of the underwater resource. Boards

give historical information about the sites, making

dives more interesting, and also give information

relating to legislation and best diving practice as

applied to wreck sites. During 2007/8 a board detailing

the wreck of the HMS Sybille a Boer War era naval

vessel wrecked near Lamberts bay on the South African

West Coast was erected at the Sandveld Museum in

Lamberts Bay. Signs erected previously at Hout Bay

were replaced as their exposure to the harsh maritime

environment had left them faded and illegible.

Advancement of tourism potential and promotion of

underwater cultural heritage was further achieved

through securing a stand at the Cape Town Interna-

tional Boat Show at the Cape Town International

Convention Centre.

As with previous years, strong national and interna-

tional ties have been developed over the past year.

Some of these have been mentioned above and have

resulted in the development of a strong international

network of individuals willing to invest their expertise

into the management of our underwater cultural

heritage.

On a local level, the Underwater Cultural Heritage

Unit has continued to develop its strong ties with

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communities in the St Helena Bay area. Various

constraints meant that it was not possible for unit

members to directly continue with the survey project

aimed at locating the wreck of the Gouden Buys

(1693). Despite this, co-operation with the local

community resulted in a large-scale search pro-

gramme being undertaken by people living in the area.

The community has responded enthusiastically to the

unit’s past efforts and have assisted the project with

personnel, equipment, time, research and management

to undertake a land, air and sea based search of a

large portion of the eastern sore of St Helena Bay.

Boats, micro-light aircraft and vehicles were mobilised

at spring low tides in an attempt to visually identify

wreckage on the beach or in the shallow waters of the

bay. Several wrecks were located during this survey,

although none of them the Gouden Buys. Although

the wreck itself was not located, the efforts of the

community went a long way to assisting in locating

and monitoring wreck sites in the area and further

developed the coastal management network that the

unit is striving to create. Their efforts are greatly

appreciated.

The unit has also forged important co-operation

programmes with the National Port Authority. Two

large port development projects are currently

underway and the unit has been involved on an admin-

istrative level in both. In June 2007, the unit travelled

to Durban and carried out a survey of the Salisbury

Channel and part of the Container Terminal of the Port

of Durban. Expansion of the Terminal and deepening

of the Channel with have a direct consequence for any

cultural remains that might exist in these areas. It was

therefore necessary for the unit to determine the extent

of material and advise the Port Authority on proce-

dures and possible mitigation. The same applies to the

Port of Cape Town, where the Ben Schoeman Dock is

being dredged in order to allow it to handle larger

vessels. Although a remote survey has already been

done, the unit will continue to act in monitoring

activities.

Important strides have been made with the develop-

ment of international partnerships and co-operation.

Important developments regarding cooperation with

the Government of the Netherlands should be high-

lighted. Early in 2007, initial work was done on

developing a proposal to jointly develop maritime

archaeology in South Africa. Robert Parthesius,

director of the Centre for International Heritage

Studies together with the Dutch Consulate in Cape

Town assisted and advised the Underwater Cultural

Heritage Unit in developing a final draft of the

Maritime Archaeology Development Programme

proposal for submission to the Dutch Embassy in

Pretoria and the South African Department of Arts and

Culture. The proposal was well received and high level

agreements are now being considered in order to

establish the project and ensure that it will be sustain-

able in the future.

HERITAGE MANAGEMENTHeritage management forms the core of the South

African Heritage Resources Agency’s function. The

Underwater Cultural Heritage Unit has devoted a

good deal of its time to this aspect in the past year.

A number of heritage management concerns have

been tackled in the past year and will be discussed

here. These include the international consultation

on the ratification of the UNESCO Convention on

the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage by

developing nations, a review of underwater cultural

heritage legislation, a review of the South African

Heritage Resources Agency’s shipwreck policy and the

application of policy and legislation on a day to day

basis.

Members of the Underwater Cultural Heritage Unit

were invited to attend a meeting in Paris organised by

UNESCO regarding the implementation of the

Convention for the Protection of Underwater Cultural

Heritage. Several points where discussed:

1. Strategies for fostering a broader ratification of

the Convention;

2. The nature and role of a future Scientific and

Technical Advisory Body;

3. The implementation of the State Cooperation

System;

4. Strategies for awareness-raising; and

5. Training in underwater archaeology.

Discussions revolved largely around the imminent

coming into force of the Convention. Because many of

the nations that have ratified the convention are from

the developing world, it was hoped that countries with

better developed maritime archaeological infrastruc-

ture and expertise would be able to assist where

necessary.

The dominant issue of 2007/8 has, however, been a

shipwreck policy review. The South African Heritage

Resources Agency, together with the Department of

Arts and Culture and other interested parties agreed

that the policy that banned commercial salvage of

historic shipwrecks should be repealed until such time

as a new legislation and resultant policy can be

developed. This meant that the South African Herit-

age Resources Agency would again consider applica-

tions for commercial projects. Numerous applications

have since been received. Concurrently, the Depart-

ment of Arts and Culture, with assistance from South

African Heritage Resources Agency have been work-

ing to develop new policy which they hope will

translate into stronger legislation in the future. The

policy is currently reaching a final draft stage and will

be presented in the coming year.

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The unit has carried out its management roles

throughout the year. Administration of permit

applications, identification of underwater cultural

heritage sites and site management has been ongo-

ing. New sites such at the SAS General Botha that

came under the jurisdiction of the National Heritage

Resources Act in 2007 have been commemorated

with lectures, functions and the laying of plaques on

the site.

CONCLUSIONIn determining its programmes and activities, the

Underwater Cultural Heritage Unit has endeav-

oured to align itself with the South African Heritage

Resources Agency’s five strategic priorities namely:

• Conservation Enhancement

• Cultural and Natural integration

• Heritage Tourism

• Transformation

• Global Agenda

The initiatives reported on above relate strongly to

these priorities and to the development of the South

African Heritage Resources Agency as a leader in

African Heritage Management. The role of the

South African Heritage Resources Agency’s Under-

water Cultural Heritage Unit is developing and

expanding as greater understanding, awareness and

capacity of underwater cultural heritage is devel-

oped. The importance of the resource to all South

Africans is becoming clearer and the South African

Heritage Resources Agency’s responsibility as

resource manager is becoming increasingly signifi-

cant. Development of strategies that are protective,

inclusive and unifying will ultimately determine the

success of the Agency in the protection this non-

renewable resource for future generations. SEARCHING FOR THE WRECK OF THE SLAVE SHIP MEERMIN (1766).

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INTRODUCTIONMentoring relationships are a significant factor in

succession planning, career development, skills

development and employment equity plans. They are

an effective vehicle for transferring knowledge through

the organisation from the people who have the most

experience and knowledge to those who are entering

the heritage field.

South Africa, through the South African Heritage

Resources Agency (SAHRA) and the provincial and

local heritage agencies, needs people to survey our

heritage, issue permits, write policy and procedures,

compile proposals for heritage matters, evaluate

heritage sites and objects and advise on heritage issues.

Through this process, mentor and mentee learn

different viewpoints, perceptions, beliefs and attitudes

from each other.

EARTHEN ARCHITECTUREThe manager of the unit attended Terra 2008, the 10th

International Conference on the Study and Conserva-

tion of Earthen Architectural Heritage, organised by the

Getty Conservation Institute and the Ministry of Culture

of Mali, held in Bamako, Mali in February 2008.

The themes of the conference were Earthen Architec-

ture in Mali; Conservation and Management of

Archaeological Sites; Conservation of Living Sites;

Challenges and Opportunities of Conservation and

Development; Local Knowledge Systems and Intangi-

ble Aspects of Earthen Architecture; Standards and

Guidelines for New and Existing Structures; Seismic

and other Natural Forces; and Advances in Research.

Tours to Mopti, Djenné, the archaeological site of

Djenné-Djeno, Ségou, Timbouctou, Sirimou and the

Dogon country, and discussions with local masons and

conservationists, were organised.

The conference confirmed that, internationally,

heritage practitioners experience the same challenges

as South Africa. The conference explored the growing

interest in conserving culture in a climate of increas-

ing globalisation and homogenisation, which threaten

the values and expressions of communities’ cultural

identities. It demonstrated that we, as architects and

heritage practitioners, must contribute to the reviving

and revaluing of these cultural practices and foster the

continuance of the tradition of building with earth and

keeping the traditions alive and documented. Indig-

enous Building Systems form the core of much of the

world’s architectural knowledge and must be reincor-

porated into our daily lives. The importance of educa-

tion and training was emphasized as well as the

importance of disseminating information about

standards and guidelines for building with earth.

HERITAGE SURVEYING, INTERVIEWINGAND MAPPINGHaving identified the urgent need to survey sites for a

South African inventory, a succinct, accessible, com-

munity-based identification and management method,

set out in a Conservation Surveying Kit, was produced

in 1992. This kit has been revised, expanded and

updated to form the Heritage Surveying, Interviewing

and Mapping Kit (HSIMK), which is freely available

from SAHRA for heritage and provincial and local

authorities and community groups to carry out the

identification process.

One of the key responsibilities of SAHRA is to create a

community-based identification and management

system for the heritage landscape that is integrated

into regional and local planning.

Working with communities is part of the process of

uncovering our neglected heritage and plays an

Architectural Heritage Landscape Unit

essential role in building human values and situating

ourselves within a cultural context.

The effectiveness of heritage management is compro-

mised because it is separate from planning. The Na-tional Heritage Resources Act places responsibility on

local authorities to carry out heritage managementfunctions, providing for more holistic and efficient

management of our local heritage resources. These

requirements include identification and grading andmanagement of the Heritage Inventory and the presenta-

tion and promotion of places of heritage significance.

The onerous catch net of the 60-year clause in the NHRF,

requiring a permit for the alteration or demolition from

heritage resources authorities, may be lifted once a

LARGEST EARTHEN MOSQUE IN THE WORLD IN DJENNE.

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heritage survey has been carried out, and those sites

worthy of conservation are placed on the register or

declared national or provincial heritage sites. This is ahuge incentive to ensure that surveys are carried out. It

will meaningfully reduce the number of plans needing

heritage scrutiny.

Funding received from the National Lottery Distribu-

tion Trust Fund (NLDTF), for a SAHRA NationalHeritage Surveying, Oral History Interviewing and

Mapping Programme has been used in the first of aseries of programmes to be carried out in all the

provinces.

The first village in which the Heritage Surveying,

Interviewing and Mapping Kit has been used to train

and create jobs for communities to play a role in compil-

ing the national inventory of heritage resources in South

Africa, was McGregor in the Western Cape. Seven

students have been trained to identify, document and

record living traditions and environments of heritage

importance; produce a Heritage Management Plan and

be capable employment by other municipalities for this

purpose. Included in this programme is the recording

of traditional earth building practices in McGregor.

The importance of this work is that once places are iden-

tified as having heritage significance, decisions about

their protection can be made and a full inventory and

heritage register can be generated, which are then avail-

able to be consulted by developers, owners, planners,

architects, environmental and planning authorities.

This enables cooperation between local and provincial

planing authorities and the integration of environmental

and heritage management into development planning.

This NLDTF programme is based on the use of the

Heritage Surveying, Interviewing and Mapping Kit for

the systematic surveying of South Africa’s rich heritage.

The Kit provides people with the skills needed to conduct

research into our history and environment, and to map

the places which contribute to the definition and affir-

mation of our cultural identity.

Any grouping within universities, technikons, municipali-

ties, provincial heritage agencies, community heritage

committees, can obtain copies of the Heritage Surveying,

Interviewing and Mapping Kit from SAHRA to carry out

surveys.

NATIONAL HERITAGE SITES BUILTENVIRONMENT PERMIT COMMITTEEThere is a continuous threat to heritage and a commit-

tee of members of the Heritage Resources Branch and

Provincial offices of SAHRA evaluates Heritage

Impact Assessments, Heritage Management Plans,

proposals for their destruction, damage, disfigure-

ment, excavation or alteration and conditions for the

development of national heritage sites and provides

permits for these submissions to SAHRA.

In order for us, over time, to bring to light a larger

history of South Africa as embodied in places and

environments, it is necessary for SAHRA to declare

national heritage sites.

A committee comprising staff members evaluates

proposals submitted to SAHRA for the declaration of

national heritage sites, which are “of special national

significance” in terms of criteria set out in our Act. We

work closely with provincial heritage agencies, local

authorities, planners and community organizations.

Some of these sites are of world heritage value and are

also declared World Heritage Sites, like the Cradle of

Humankind, Robben Island, etc.

INFORMATION AND ASSISTANCE ONTHE ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGEThe advice of the unit is continuously sought by the

public and heritage practitioners and agencies

throughout South Africa on a range of subjects, such

as requirements of the National Heritage Resources

Act, conservation and restoration, earthen architec-

ture, Heritage Management Plans and planning.

Ongoing appraisal of international and national

integrated heritage management processes, current

debates and colloquiums on the subject inform our

branch. Development of a SAHRA methodology for

Integrated Heritage Management is in process.

EO OF HRM WITH HERITAGE SURVEYING STUDENTS IN MCGREGOR.

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Grading and Declarations Unit

INTRODUCTIONManagement of the grading and declaration was

aligned to the strategic objectives of the South African

Heritage Resources Agency for the financial year 2006-

2007; existing operating systems have been improved

and updated to ensure maximum efficiency regarding

the nomination of National Heritage Sites. All

stakeholders have also been made aware of the exist-

ence of the Grading and Declarations Unit and the

functions that are being performed by the unit.

CHALLENGESA number of challenges have been identified during the

year under review.

The unit needs to correct and update the National

Heritage List to ensure accurate information is avail-

able to staff and all stakeholders. The list is also used asan effective management tool. Currently external

stakeholders are engaged in the process, for example,

the South African Local Government Association.

A list needs to be compiled of sites, which was rejected

by the Grading and Declarations Review Committee fornomination. This list will be circulated to all SAHRA

Provincial offices, Head Office Units and the Provincial

Heritage Authorities.

The unit must ensure that sites that have been graded as

“Grade 1” sites are declared as National Heritage Siteswithin a certain time period. A time frame guideline

needs to be put in place from the initiation of the

process of nomination to its conclusion into formal

declaration (gazetting) and the assigning of a SAHRA

badge/ plaque. A process of streamlining the gradingand eventually declaring sites should be implemented

that ensures that there is no backlog on the list of

identified and graded sites at SAHRA. However this is

contingent upon the completion of Conservation

Management Plans (CMP) for sites that have been

identified and graded. This is a particular challenge

since there are between 20 and 40 that have been

graded but as of yet have not been declared as Na-

tional Heritage sites. An increased operations budget is

also needed to ensure that sites that have been graded

get declared as National Heritage Sites, since consult-

ants and service providers have to be employed to do

conservation management plans and plaques. It is

essential that a projected budget be submitted with the

each nomination document, since this will indicate how

much a CMP, plaques and interpretive signage will cost.

In line with provisional protection, a process for urgent

submissions should be available but this should only

be used in an event when the heritage resource is

threatened.

The unit must promote a standard format for nomina-

tion dossiers with concise statements of significance

GRADING AND DECLARATIONS UNIT POSTER.

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Site Name Grading Unit Grading Committee Council Decision Current StatusRecommendation Recommendation

1 O.R. Tambo Serial nomination for

1.1 Grave To grade as Grade I To grade as Grade I Approved 23 September 2006 Grade I

1.2 Birthplace at Nkantolo, To grade as Grade I Approved Grade I

Eastern Cape

3 Chief Albert Luthuli Serial nomination

Sites (see Figure).

Nelson Mandela Sites-

Eastern and Western

Cape and Gauteng

3.1 Solomon Mahlangu To grade as Grade I To grade as Grade I Approved Grade I

Freedom Square 23 September 2006

3.2 House in Mamelodi To grade as Grade I To grade as Grade I Approved 23 September 2006 Grade I

which encapsulate the essence and significance of a

heritage resource. Submissions contain the relevant

and significant information and have been com-

pleted using the correct format. It is important that

consultations with all relevant stakeholders take

place from the start of the identification process to

actual declaration.

Procedure and guidelines must be developed for

sites which form part of serial nominations located

in different provinces, in consultation with the

SAHRA provincial offices, Provincial Heritage

Resources Authority and existing local authorities.

We also need to identify gaps in research, nomina-

tion process and heritage legislation. The Grading

and Declarations Review Committee may give

conditional approval for grading or declaration, but

nominations will not be submitted until the commit-

tee’s requirements have been met. Provision must be

made for the acceptance of draft conservation

management plans for declaration due to resource

and capacity.

REVISION OF GRADING ANDDECLARATIONS PROCEDURESIn order to streamline the revision of grading and

declaration procedures, the unit has separated the

grading and declarations process and continued to

expand the existing list of themes drafted by the

national inventory manager to provide for more

specific categories and for serial nomination. A

new format of draft nominations now incorporates

themes and specific categories. The terms of refer-

ence for the Grading and Declarations Review

Committee have been amended to provide for

changes in SAHRA and gaps in the nomination

process.

CHIEF ALBERT LUTHULI GRAVESITE. CHIEF ALBERT LUTHULI HOUSE.

44

SITE IDENTIFICATION ANDNOMINATIONS STRATEGY FOR SAHRAPROVINCIAL STAFFCross provincial strategy was started by drafting a

procedure for serial nomination related to the

liberation struggle. The Committee agreed that each

liberation site on its own should qualify for National

status but as a whole the activities of people, for

instance Chief Albert Luthuli, in the different prov-

inces of South Africa would ensure an effective

conservation strategy.

IdentificationSites on the South African tentative list for World

Heritage Status were identified. The aim was to

ensure National Heritage status prior to World

Heritage Status being obtained.

A list and information synopsis of identified sites,

tentative sites, sites already graded by committee and

council, sites submitted for declaration, sites approved

for declaration and management plans was updated

from a list drawn up by the Head of the Archaeology

unit in 2003.

AssessmentAn assessment and review of the status quo of all sites

on the National Heritage List was done. After careful

consultation, the Sarah Bartmann burial site was

gazetted in April 2008 as a National Heritage Site.

The Deeds office was informed the same month of the

gazetting

REVIEW COMMITTEE MEETINGSThe Grading and Declarations Review Committee

which consist of unit heads and provincial managers

made recommendations to SAHRA Council regarding

Grade 1 sites and sites that should be declared as

national heritage sites.

CMP GROUPWORK MAMANGINA DRIVE MOMBASA. CMP MAMANGINA DRIVE MOMBASA.

SITESURVEY KHADISTWENE, NORTHWEST.

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COOPERATION AND TRAININGIn May-June the unit facilitated a DEAT Youth Work-

shop regarding World Heritage Sites in Sub-Saharan

Africa. At the end of August and beginning September

2007, the unit head was a teaching assistant for the 9th

Africa 2009 regional course on immovable heritage,

which was held in Mombasa to compile a Conserva-

tion Management Plan for Mama Ngina Drive. In

November the unit head attended a workshop in

Namibia to help the Namibian Heritage Council

Establish a national inventory of al Namibian Herit-

age Resources. In addition, the unit attended a course

on rock art recording in the Drakensberg end of

November 2007 hosted by the University of

Witwatersrand Rock Art Institute and the French

Institute in South Africa.

The manager of the Grading and Declarations unitrepresents SAHRA on the Robben Island Museum

(RIM) Academic Review Committee, which has been

SITE INSPECTION CRADLE OF HUMANKIND GAUTENG. ROCK ART RECORDING DRAKENSBERG. KHOI BURIAL GROUND HANKIES NORTHERN CAPE.

tasked with reviewing the RIM Teaching Programme’scurriculum for 2007, while planning the curriculum for

2008.

The unit did a site survey and recording of Khadistwene

in conjunction with SAHRA staff and a heritagepractitioner from Zambia.

WORKSHOPS, PRESENTATIONS ANDMEETINGSThe unit did a presentation regarding EIA/HIA/AIA

at the Heritage Resources Branch meeting inBloemfontein, conducted site inspections of the Cradle

of Humankind to assess where plaques should be

positioned in conjunction with relevant unit head andprovincial manager, and the Khoi and Nama gravesite

at Hankries, Northern Cape.

The unit also attended the National Heritage Council’s

workshop regarding the establishment of a Heritage

Charter in October and a repatriation workshop in

early 2008, and a meeting with Nama community

regarding Declaration of the Nama Church and did a

site survey as well as interviews.

SERIAL NOMINATIONSThree new serial nominations for grading were

successfully processed by the unit in consultation with

the SAHRA Provincial Managers for Gauteng and the

Eastern Cape.

CONCLUSIONThe Grading and Declarations Unit continues to

identify new heritage resources, while managing and

conserving existing heritage resources through the

National Heritage List and the processes of consulta-

tion and community participation, thus enabling

SAHRA to fulfill its obligation towards nation-build-

ing as defined in the government imperatives.

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Heritage Objects Unit

INTRODUCTIONHeritage objects that form part of the national estate

are managed according to the legislative framework

prescribed in the National Heritage Resources Act, No.

25 of 1999.

Unfortunately, the Heritage Objects Unit (HOU) lacks

capacity and resources to effectively manage South

Africa’s heritage objects. Therefore, HOU was pleased

to participate in the Department of Arts and Culture

(DAC) internship project that resulted in the employ-

ment of Mr Phaphama Yekani from November 2007 to

November 2008. Mr Yekani is an invaluable addition

to the two person team in managing the nation’s

heritage objects.

REGULATING THE EXPORT OF HERITAGEOBJECTSSAHRA regulates the export of heritage objects, for

which we rely on the cooperation of various experts. The

NHRA stipulates criteria along which these experts

advise us whether an object may be exported or not.

This informs the decisions of the Permit Committee. In

addition, in terms of the NHRA, Customs officials form

an important link in the chain to ensure that protected

heritage is not exported without a permit.

During the period under review, fifty-six permit applica-

tions were processed by HOU. This is the first time that

so many permit applications had been received. How-

ever, if all the mechanisms were in place, SAHRA would

receive a lot more permit applications. In total the unit

issued thirty six permits for the permanent export of

heritage objects.

LoansThe Johannesburg Art Gallery, William Humphreys

Museum and Museum Africa applied for permits to loan

request the compulsory purchase of that object. The

following artworks were prohibited from being

exported during the year under review:

• Three artworks were prohibited from being perma-

nently exported to the Bonhams auction

• T.W Bowler watercolour depicting the laying of the

foundation of the slipway to the west dockyard by

the Governor of the Cape Colony Sir George Grey

on 14 July 1859

• A chair and chessboard associated with prisoners

of war during the Anglo-Boer War

Export of StampsStamps, by virtue of their size and the fact that they

can be exported in large quantities, are not described

in the same detail as other objects. In addition, they

are fixed to a board and the customs official checks

artworks to Spain for an exhibition entitled “Local

Racism, Global Apartheid” from September 2007 to the

end of April 2008. Artworks by, among others, Gerard

Sekoto, Irma Stern, Ernest Cole, William Kentridge,

Gerard Bhengu and Gavin Jantjies are currently on

loan. The purpose of the exhibition is to focus on

immigrants in Europe whose experiences can be likened

to apartheid in South Africa prior to 1994. Upon

request, the loans were extended to 31 August 2008.

In addition to the above, eleven permits were issued for

the temporary export of other heritage objects.

Prohibited ExportObjects that comply with criteria as set out in the

NHRA may be prohibited from being exported. The

applicant may, within 30 days after such refusal,

CHIEF FADANA VIEWING PORTRAITS OF CHIEFS.

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these when they are loaned and does so when they are

returned. However, there is no mechanism of knowing

whether a significant stamp may have been left behind.

In addition, stamps can easily be hidden in suitcases or

form part of hand luggage and thereby be illegally

exported. Stamp collectors are often dealers and this

poses a conflict of interest when expertise is required to

assess stamps.

Bonhams Auction of South AfricanArt in LondonThe Bonhams Auction House in London held two

successful auctions of South African art and a third

auction is scheduled for September 2008. The

Bonhams representative in SA applied for permits on

behalf of owners of artworks in South Africa to export

these for sale. The first auction took place in May

2007. Seven permit applications were processed and

eleven art works were exported. The second auction

took place in January 2008. Twenty-four permits were

processed for this auction and thirty artworks were

exported.

These auctions proved to be the biggest challenge

concerning the regulation of heritage objects, among

them:

a) Although we processed the permit applications

received from Bonhams and have records of these,

SAHRA doesn’t know whether some owners illegally

took artworks out of the country as part of domestic

goods for sale at the auction.

b) There is no obligation on buyers to declare South

African art and therefore, there is no record of what

was bought on the auction.

c) Not a single South African museum was in a

position to bid on significant artworks at the

auctions due to their small acquisition budgets and

the rand-pound exchange. Even if they did, they

would have been subjected to the same costs in-

cluded in these sales as well as taxes when the

artworks were brought to SA.

The Bonhams auction, more than any other, has high-

lighted the lack of funds that museums have to acquire

significant artworks and the fact that despite the

requirements of the NHRA, South Africa does not have

a fund to retain artworks, nor are there tax exemptions

for those who buy South African heritage objects.

Pre-sale AssessmentOn a few occasions, auction houses and private indi-

viduals requested SAHRA to assess the heritage value of

objects intended for sale overseas. In one such instance,

the Stephan Welz auction house requested SAHRA to

identify and assess Oceanic and African Art objects

intended for export. The unit requested assistance from

Iziko in this regard, and was able to identify several

objects of national heritage values, whose export was

therefore prohibited. Neither SAHRA nor a museum

had the funds to purchase the object concerned. This

matter has been brought to the Minister and DAC’s

attention.

Mapungubwe Cultural LandscapeA collection of objects associated with the

Mapungubwe landscape was declared and is housed

at the University of Pretoria. Gold objects (some

specifically declared, others not) are currently being

conserved. The University of Pretoria, South African

National Parks and SAHRA have started discussions to

pave the way for a heritage agreement that will clarify

the roles and responsibilities of the three institutions

regarding the management of the heritage objects that

form part of the Mapungubwe cultural landscape. In

the process, other institutions that have objects from the

Mapungubwe landscape will also be identified.

CHIEF BIDS FOR SIGNIFICANTARTWORKSFleur Way-Jones from the Albany Museum informed

SAHRA of the sale of portraits depicting King Sandile,

Chief Pato, Chief Maqoma and Chief Siyolo as well

as Chief Mqhayi at a Stephan Welz auction in Cape

Town.

The HOU staff, accompanied by the Executive Officer:

Heritage Resources, met with the auctioneers to inform

them of the significance of these artwork and that these

must be handled sensitively. The asking price for the

artworks by far outweighed the estimated price.

SAHRA did everything in its power to intervene to

ensure that Chief Fadana, accompanied by Mr Silinga,

HO UNIT WITH MR. C PETER AT IRMA STERN MUSEUM.

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who represented the Royal House in the Eastern Cape,could obtain the funds to purchase the artworks. We

are pleased that it was made possible for the Royal

House to purchase the artworks concerned. SAHRAappreciates the sensitivity with which the Stephen Welz

auction house handled the matter.

This sale again highlighted the plight of communities,

including museums who do not have access to ad-

equate funding to purchase significant heritage objectsand who have to rely on the goodwill of individuals

and/or institutions. In addition, heritage objects thatare significant to communities and museums are a

commodity to be competed for on the open market and

in most instances, such objects are acquired by thosewith money for their intrinsic investment value.

OBJECTS IN PUBLIC INSTITUTIONSThe NHRA does not make provision for the protection

of types of objects owned by public institutions even ifthese may form part of the national estate. There have

been instances where unique and significant objects

were destroyed. In order to combat this, SAHRAdeveloped guidelines that state institutions may apply

when faced with the responsibility of writing off objectsthat they no longer require.

SAHRA is pleased that Parliament and the Public

Works Department, as well as Transnet applied theguidelines and consulted SAHRA in the process.

MILITARY HERITAGEIn South Africa, military history and heritage re-sources are politically charged and highly emotive

because these are steeped in separate development as a

result of apartheid. The African Ex-Servicemen’sLeague, SA Cape Corps Regimental Association and

SA Legion arose out of these circumstances. However,these organisations have integrated and are cooperat-

ing to close the gaps created by apartheid.

The destruction and deactivation of firearms poses

several challenges, namely, what should be done with

identified firearms of heritage value; what kind of

procedure should there be for formal appointment of

Heritage Inspectors; and who should draw up a code of

conduct for Heritage Inspectors.

GUIDELINESDuring the year under review HOU drafted a procedure

to process a permit application; guidelines for the

identification of artworks that require a permit; criteriato aid experts on advising the Unit as to whether an

object may be exported; and guidelines to aid public

institutions faced with scrapping excess objects or those

no longer in use that may be of heritage value.

MOVABLE HERITAGE OBJECTSUnder the previous dispensation, movable objects weredeclared as national monuments and in some instances

these national monuments became specifically de-

SA CAPE CORPS REGIMENTALASSOCIATION (SACCRA)HOU held meetings with the SACCRA because it was

established that it had documents and photographs in

storage dating back to the 1940s. Experts such as Johan

Maree (paper conservator), Prof Bill Nasson (military

history) and Lesley Hart (archivist), were prepared to

assist the organisation in conserving the history and

documents that give insight to the formation of this

institution.

DEACTIVATION OF FIREARMSIn terms of the Firearms Control Legislation, SAHRA

has to approve the deactivation of firearms. This is a

moot point because SAHRA is in principle opposed to

deactivation because it affects the heritage value of a

firearm. However, the question arises, if SAHRA is not

involved in the process, which other organisation should

do so?

SAHRA does not have the capacity to perform this

function and has been fulfilling this role with the aid of

SAAACA members such as Stephan Fourie, Carvell

Webb and Chris Baragwanath, as well as John Keene

from the Military Museum, among others. These

experts make their services available free of charge.

This function is currently being performed on an ad hoc

basis, because SAHRA does not have the capacity to put

in place the infrastructure that this function requires.

SAHRA has had a number of private owners, policemen

and gunsmiths requesting deactivation.

Destruction of FirearmsDirector Botma from the SAPS Firearms Control Unit

requested SAHRA to identify and assess firearms of

heritage value among those handed in for destruction.

Due to lack of capacity, SAHRA performs this function

with the aid of experts as mentioned above.

FIREARMS INSPECTIONS.

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clared heritage objects. Institutions who are the

custodians of the monuments have been contacted to

establish whether these monuments are movable, in use

and who is responsible for their conservation. This

information will determine whether these monuments

will also become specifically declared heritage objects.

TRANSLATION OF BROCHUREWith the assistance of colleagues, HOU translated the

Heritage Objects Brochure into Xhosa, Sotho,

Afrikaans, Zulu and Isiswati. We are very grateful to

our colleagues for providing this service free of charge.

EXCESS OBJECTS AT THE ADLERMUSEUM OF MEDICINESAHRA has been informed by the Adler museum of

Medicine at the University of Witwatersrand that it was

in the process of removing excess objects from its

collection for a number of reasons. These included

severe space limitations, duplication of objects, irrepa-

rable damage to objects, objects not appropriate to the

museum’s core collection and harmful and dangerousitems, such as unstable or toxic laboratory chemicals.

The manner in which the museum managed the

alienation of excess objects and consulted SAHRA inthe process of doing so was an example of cooperative

governance in managing heritage objects. This is alsoan example of the kind of exercise that many museums

may have to undertake as part of the process of feeding

into the national inventory that SAHRA is responsiblefor.

ENGAGEMENT WITH STAKEHOLDERSIn the last twelve months the unit attended more than a

dozen meetings, conferences and workshops, including

the ICOM Symposium at Maropeng; A meeting

concerning firearms in Pretoria; a meeting with

Transnet Heritage Foundation; meetings with the

Heritage Railway Association of South Africa

(HRASA); a meeting with the curator of the Navy

Museum in Simons Town; a presentation on preservingheritage objects: Museum Security in Port St John’s;

and two meetings (one at SAHRA and another in

Claremont) with Giles Graggs and Penny Culverwell

from Bonhams to discuss their and our concerns

regarding the auction of South African art in London.

HOU staff member Azola Mkosana attended the

ICOM Conference in Vienna. He was fortunate to haveobtained a bursary from ICOM in order to do so.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSThe Heritage Objects Unit expresses sincere apprecia-

tion to:

• members of the public for informing SAHRA of

sales, illegal export and neglect of heritage objects

that form part of the national estate and hope that

they will continue to fulfil this role;

• customs officials who alert us to illegal export even

though the mechanisms are not yet in place for

Customs to fulfil this role as intended by the NHRA;

• Organised Crime, Interpol, Border Police, Director

Botma and his team, local policemen who take the

time to inform the Unit of concerns they have

regarding firearms of heritage value and or other

heritage objects;

• Museum officials, curators, conservators, collection

managers, directors, etc;

• Government departments, particularly the National

Department of Public Works and the Western Cape

Department of Land Affairs;

• Historians, conservators; and

• Lawrence Posniak, Brian Johnson Barker, Marilyn

Martin, Rayda Becker, Hayden Proud, and the

many other experts without whose input, the Unit

would not able to effectively manage our country’s

heritage objects.

ECG MACHINE. NO. 3655 CLASS 24 TABLEBAY GLASGOW1948 GREG SMITHEM.

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Burial Grounds & Graves Unit

TRANSFORMATIONThe final report on the Collection of Names project,

piloted within Gauteng, recommended among others,

the implementation of symbolic reparative projects as a

follow up with an objective of further creation of public

awareness of SAHRA’s mandate on Victims of Conflict

that fell in the liberation struggle.

June 16, 1976: National NamesVerificationThe list of names of the 1976 deaths, circumstances and

causes of death had been originally sourced from the

apartheid government Cillie Commission and has

never been previously verified with affected families for

correction of names, additions and confirmations of

deaths. The purpose of the project, implemented in

partnership with the Hector Pieterson Museum, June 16

Foundation and the Freedom Park Trust, was to conduct

a feasibility study for further project rollout based on

incidents that fall within different periods of apartheid

repression and resistance politics.

A list of names as per Cillie Commission was launched

on Saturday 16th June 2007, by SAHRA CEO, Mr

Phakamani Buthelezi at the morning session of the

official Commemoration held at the Hector Pieterson

Museum and published in City Press of the 17th June

2007. Follow up meetings and SAHRA Data Collection

forms have been submitted to the Hector Pieterson

Museum and the collaborative efforts are ongoing as

part of a serial nomination of important sites within the

heritage trail.

East Rand Zero Hour IncidentThis youth commemorative project was initiated in

Duduza where eight youths were killed in a booby trap

hand grenade training incident conducted by an

apartheid state agent provocateur (askari) at midnight

on 25 June 1985 (the eve of the 30th commemoration of

Kliptown Congress of the People, where the Freedom

Charter had been adopted).

The project was launched in partnership with the

Ekurhuleni Municipality, local council and the

KwaTsaduza Heritage Committee set up by the

survivors of the incident, and from KwaThema,

Tsakane and Duduza. A memorial to the incident and a

commemorative plaque were built at the Duduza

historical cemetery, depicting the history of the procla-

mation of the township for resettlement of the forcibly

removed community of Charterston.

A consensus was reached that names of other victims

were to be collected and listed on the Memorial as part

of a broader reconciliation initiative within the

community. An unveiling was held at Duduza on 26

June, presided by the Mayor of Ekurhuleni Honour-

able Councilor Duma ka Nkosi.

The Kwathema community requested assistance with

rehabilitation of four graves of victims of the incident

and following various community meetings, an

unveiling was held on 23 September.

Alexandra Six Days WarThe twenty six graves of the victims of the Alexandra

Six Days War were rehabilitated and a postponement

of the unveiling and commemorative event was

recommended, pending a verification process of a

disputed burial due to a renewal of grave markers that

took place subsequent to the burial. Assistance and

advice have been sought from the Missing Persons Task

Team based within the National Prosecuting Authority.

The plenary sessions for the Commemorative event

and community consultations have been restarted and

an event is planned for February 2009.

Ex-Combatants ProjectsThe Gauteng provincial conference of uMkhonto

Wesizwe Military Veterans Association (MKMVA) held

a conference to elect new leadership at NASREC in

April 2007 and SAHRA had been approached for a

donation and to make a presentation on the Repatria-

tion and Memorialisation Policy Initiatives.

SAHRA was invited to the exhibition for the Disap-

peared held on the 31 October 2007 at the Constitution

Hill to celebrate the International Day of the Disap-

SA VICTIMS OF CONFLICT IN TANZANIA.

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peared. The exhibition was opened by Justice AlbieSachs, while families whose relatives disappeared in

police custody and in exile donated various artifacts ofthe deceased for exhibition displays.

Subsequently, a workshop on memorialisation and ex-combatants was convened by the Centre for the Study

of Violence and Reconciliation on 15 November, and apresentation was made by SAHRA on the role the ex-combatants can assume with the collection of names

and identification of graves project, extending to thereconstruction of the liberation struggle heritage trail,

and documenting all places of significance associatedwith routes into exile.

The Freedom Park Trust and the National ProsecutingAuthority ’s Missing Persons Task, invited SAHRA for a

discussion with families of the Mamelodi 3, abductedand executed by apartheid state agents in the 1980s,

whose remains were exhumed. The families hadexpressed an interest in donating the clothing itemsand unidentifiable remains for display at the Freedom

Park and advice was sought from SAHRA on theethics of displaying human remains. It was decided

that they would be stored at the Cultural History

Museum.

SAHRA participated in the National Heritage Council’s

plenary sessions for the Conference on Repatriation of

Cultural Objects and Human Remains that culminated

in the conference held on 15 March 2008 at the Cae-

sar’s Place.

Oudtshoorn MemorialIn October 2007the community of Oudtshoorn unveiled

a Memorial stone in honour of local heroes and hero-

ines who fell during the mid 1980s, following a grant

from the National Heritage Resources Fund and a

further donation from the Western Cape SAHRA provin-

cial office. A request was made to the Burial Grounds

and Graves Unit that further assistance was to be

solicited for the identification of graves of executed

liberation struggle heroes and possible repatriation

from Pretoria for a reburial in Oudtshoorn.

Colesberg Massacre and AndrewMabitjaThe Northern Cape office received a request from the

Azanian People’s Organisation for a contribution for a

headstone for Andrew Mabitja, a young Black Con-

sciousness Movement leader who was killed in police

custody in 1977. Consultations were also held with the

Colesberg community where four youths were killed by

the police during a rent boycott demonstration in 1985.

The erection of four headstones and an unveiling event

was facilitated by the Northern Cape office in March

2008.

Memorandum of Understanding withthe CRL CommissionThe Commission for the Protection and Promotion of

Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communi-

MEETING WITH AMBASSADOR MFENYANA IN TANZANIA.

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ties has been inundated with referrals of submissionsfrom the Human Rights Commission and other

government agencies. The contents of submissions arerequests for arbitration on disputes over denial ofaccess and destruction of ancestral graves of farm

tenants and land claimants by current landowners.

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed andsubsequent inspection trips and referrals of cases forlegal advice were jointly undertaken by SAHRA and

CRL, some of which are still underway and a consulta-tive workshop with interested parties would be held

during the current financial year to deliberate on

similar cases and reach a consensus on legislative

procedures for amicable settlement and resolution of

disputes.

CONSERVATION ENHANCEMENTThe restoration of headstones and other sites is based

on conservation principles, seeking to retain the

original character of the site and headstones, with

particular reference to culturally significant graves of

royal family members and pioneer leaders, which is

also in line with Section 34 of the National Heritage

Resources Act No 25 of 1999.

Mamone Royal Burial GroundsIn May 2007 SAHRA was invited to discussions on

the unveiling of Chief Mampuru’s headstone whose

remains were repatriated from Zambia where he

died in 1987 at the age of 82, and reburied at his

ancestral home in Mamone Royal burial grounds

outside Jane Furse, in Limpopo. SAHRA committed

to make a donation through Batho Batho Cultural

Organisation, for the restorative work on the royal

graveyard in Mamone in preparation for the

unveiling which was held on the 3 September

2007.

GRAVE OF NKOSINKULU. SHAKA MEMORIAL - STANGER. SIMONSTOWN KRAMAT-GRAVESITE.

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GLOBAL INITIATIVES

TanzaniaIn August 2007 SAHRA joined an initial delegation of

the Freedom Park Trust to Tanzania for the briefing of

the High Commissioner’s office on the rehabilitation

of gravesites of South African exiles in Tanzania and a

proposed Cleansing and Healing Ceremony. Inspec-

tions and courtesy calls were made to the Kinondoni

Cemetery where most of graves of fallen combatants of

the Pan Africanist Congress are located, as well as to

the Solomon Mahlangu Freedom College and

Dakawa, both associated with the African National

Congress, located in Morogoro district.

In September 2007 conservation work was carried out

in Kinondoni Cemetery, Dar es Salaam and the

Solomon Mahlangu Freedom College. However, it

proved impossible to find granite markers in Tanzania

within a short space of time. The assistance of Colonel

RK Jele, Defense Advisor to the South African Mission,

was enlisted for conducting an inspection of gravesites

and the compilation of a report identifying conserva-

tion needs and their cost. Granite markers were

subsequently procured from South Africa and shipped

to Tanzania as standard markers for all South African

graves.

Botswana, Mozambique and UgandaSAHRA was requested to participate in discussions for

a drafting of a DAC coordinated bilateral agreement

with the Republic of Mozambique based on observa-

tions of sites visited in July 2006.

The Freedom Park Trust also coordinated discussions

requested by the Public Works Department regarding

assistance with the rescue of four South African graves

located in Kampala, which are currently under threat

from agricultural development expansion.

The South African High Commission in Botswana, in

partnership with the Northwest provincial government,

has initiated a Gateway Project aimed at memorialising

sites associated with the liberation struggle in Botswana.

Discussions are ongoing regarding the conservation of

graves and erection of memorial markers at specific

sites.

CAPITAL PROJECTSAlexandra 99, 099.52

Colesburg 27, 396.00

Grahamstown (Lobengula) 29, 044.90

Andrew Mabitja 9, 762.74

Mamone Royal Graveyard 42,000.00

Queen Nandi 112,000.00

Duduza 76, 380.00

KwaThema 42, 000.00

Vilakazi 99, 570.00

June 16 91, 416.00

MKVA Conference 25, 000.00

Policy Development 24,762.00

Rescue of Human Remains 5,000.00

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSWe would like to thank the following organisaitons and

bodies for their support and cooperation:

• South African High Commission-Tanzania

• Sokoine Agricultural University- Tanzania

• Dar es Salaam- Kinondoni Cemetery

• Missing Persons Task Team- National Prosecuting

Authority

• Batho Batho Cultural Organisation

• APLA Military Veterans Association

• DoD Military Veterans Administration

• Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation

• Commission for Cultural, Linguistic and Religious

Communities

• Mamone –Mampuru Royal Family

Graves of JL Dube, SEK Mqhayi andDr. W. R RubusanaThe graves of leading and celebrated siXhosa

literary icons, Dr W. Rubusana and SEK Mqhayi

located at the King William’s Town Municipal Cem-

etery and Berlin Mission were identified for restora-

tive work.

Dr JL Dube’s family approached SAHRA for advice

and assistance towards the preservation of Dr. Dube’s

legacy as a pioneer educator, journalist and author

through the conservation of his headstone.

ONE OF THE OLDEST GRAVES AT MAKWETENG IDENTIFIED DURING THE CLEANINGCAMPAIGN.

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Eastern Cape

HERITAGE RESOURCES MANAGEMENT:

PROVINCIAL OFFICES

Free State

Gauteng

KwaZulu NatalLimpopo

Mpumalanga

Northern Cape

North West

Western Cape

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INTRODUCTIONThe Eastern Cape Provincial SAHRA office carried outa number of activities during the year under review,

one of the major ones being the declaration of theSarah Bartmann site.

DECLARATION OF SARAH BARTMANNThe South African Heritage Resources Agency in theEastern Cape hosted four public participation work-

shops with the community members in Hankey and

government organs. The public participation meetingswere held in collaboration with the Department of Arts

and Culture. At these public meetings, communityinvolvement was solicited for the co-management of

the Sarah Bartmann Heritage Site, working with

communities and collaborating with municipalitiesin the preservation and declaration of the burial place

of Sarah Bartmann. As the majority of the residents inthe surrounding communities were unemployed, they

expected jobs to be created for them with immediate

effects. The aim of public participation meetings

was to:

1. Involve local communities in the management of

Sarah Bartmann heritage sites;

2. Amplify the voices of indigenous communities inthe preservation of Sarah Bartmann’s legacy and

memory;

3. Create collaboration and partnerships with

immediate communities, including municipalities,

(Kouga and Cacadu District Municipalities);

4. Include National Heritage Sites in the IntegratedDevelopment Plans of municipalities; and

5. Make sure that the rights and responsibilities ofcommunities are respected in the declaration and

development of the burial space.

The burial place of Sarah Bartmann has been declared

a National Heritage Site and has been gazetted in the

Recreation Arts and Culture (DSRAC). SAHRA

facilitated the workshop and provided legal frame-work on preservation of rural heritage. As the heritage

resources impact on rural communities, local herit-age forums are established in order to manage

heritage locally.

These workshops were also part of an educational

drive and provided information about the work done

by SAHRA in the province. These workshops, whichform part of outreach programmes, create expecta-

tions of smooth heritage management. As a result ofthese workshops communities become confident

about their heritage resources; some municipalities

create local heritage units and budgets to manageheritage; and local heritage forums begin to play an

integral part in the preservation of heritage resourcesand act as heritage law enforcers.

Finally, the workshops create opportunities for

heritage management at the municipal level throughtraditional leadership. The central tenet of the work-

Government Gazette. The story of Sarah Bartmann has

touched many societies and communities across the

world.

The grading and declaration unit in co-operation with

SAHRA EC managed to declare the Sarah Bartmann

burial place as the National Heritage Site. Recognising

the burial place as national heritage site will celebrate

the triumph of human spirit over colonialism. The site

will continue to be part of the human rights cause,

celebrate the women in struggle in South Africa and

amplify their voices.

HERITAGE RESOURCES MANAGEMENTWORKSHOPSHeritage Resources Management workshops were held

with government departments, local municipalities and

traditional leaders. The traditional leaders’ workshop

was held in Port St John’s, organised by the OR Tambo

District Municipality and Department of Sports

HERITAGE RESOURCES MANAGEMENT WORKSHOP. LOBENGULA OPENING.

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shops is to find innovative strategies and co-

operation at the local level on managing heritage

resources.

Workshops promoting awareness and clarifying the

legal imperatives of heritage management were also

conducted with the following municipalities:

a Sunday River

b Chris Hani

c Mhlontlo

d Kouga

e OR Tambo

The aim of the workshops was to:

1. Educate the municipalities about the National

Heritage Resources Act (No.25 of 1999), their

responsibilities and legal expectations;

2. Manage heritage resources locally;

3. Involve local communities and municipalities in

heritage management;

4. Collaborate and partner with local municipalities

on heritage management; and5. Foster the culture of managing heritage locally.

In most cases municipalities are keen to manage

heritage resources locally. However, local authoritiesface a number of challenges, such as lack of human

resources to manage heritage resources at the locallevel; limited capacity of staff; lack of expertise at

local level; inclusion of heritage into local municipali-

ties (IDP’s) Integrated Development Plans and creationand establishment of local heritage surveys and

databases. This adversely affects municipalities intheir auditing of historic assets as prescribed by

Municipal Finance Management Act and Municipal

Structures Act.

These challenges can only be addressed by

empowering municipalities and creating budgets forthem. The momentum and strong links with local

municipalities need to be strengthened for the benefit

of heritage management and the conservation of all its

aspects.

HERITAGE IMPACT ASSESSMENTWORKSHOPSAHRA EC conducted a workshop with developers,DEDEA and DME in order to establish sound relationswith these stakeholders. This workshop was held inBisho in order to introduce the significance of HeritageImpact Assessments (HIA). As a result of the workshop,

developers and government departments are consider-ing the HIA whenever there is insensitive development.Each development that takes place is subject to HIA ifit is likely to affect heritage resources. The workshopwith stakeholders on HIA resulted in improved co-

operation within state organs and an increase incommunication channels.

MEETINGS WITH CHIEF MANDLAMANDELANumerous meetings were held by SAHRA and otherinstitutions with Chief Mandla Sizwe Zwelivelile

Mandela regarding the preservation Mvezo Site ruins,

the birthplace of Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. Thiscame after the Chief presented plans for a large scale

development programme of the site, radically changingthe character of the site and its rural setting. With the

destruction of the ruins likely to be permanent, the

Nelson Mandela Museum informed the relevantheritage institution of a need for action. Subsequently,

several meetings were held in order to:• Open communication lines between heritage

institutions and Chieftaincy.

• Assess the needs of the Mvezo Community.• Coordinate the development with heritage

management.• Advise and educate the Chief on heritage issues.

• Find collective solutions in the imminent

reconstruction of the site.

LOBENGULA BURIAL PLACE RESTORATION. PEOPLE'S ASSEMBLY EVENT.

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Unfortunately development plans were never sharedwith SAHRA despite the promises given during several

meetings with stakeholders. Soon after the meetings,development started without resolutions of the meetingsbeing implemented. In the light of that, SAHRA went

on a site visit, took photographs and met with ChiefMandla. During the site visit SAHRA came to the con-

clusion that the site has been indeed radically changedand that the Chief was determined to continue the de-velopment. The development in the site without a rele-

vant permit is unfortunate because it is identified as aGrade 1 site. Negotiations are still continuing with an

aim of finding an amicable solution.

INTER-GOVERNMENT RELATIONSThe National Department of Environmental Affairs andTourism has been funding heritage related projects inthe Eastern Cape. As a result of SAHRA’s strategic

position, SAHRA EC has been serving in the advisorycommittees of the following projects:

• Bulhoek Massacre• Mvezo

• Egazani

These projects aim to preserve the memories of indig-

enous communities through heritage management. Allthe sites are identified as Grade 1 sites with imminent

declaration. Finally, SAHRA EC assisted the MakanaMunicipality with fundraising and the development of

heritage concepts for the Egazini project.

HERITAGE DAY CELEBRATIONSSAHRA EC is normally involved in the heritage daycelebration in the Eastern Cape. Every community isasked to participate in different ways, includingcultural activities and indigenous poetry. The role ofSAHRA is to exhibit and display the work it performsin the province; create pamphlets and booklets foreducational purposes; inform communities aboutheritage management.

OR TAMBO BOOK LAUNCHSAHRA EC in partnership with Nelson Mandela BayMunicipality has launched the OR Tambo book written

by Dr. Sendi Baai. The book launch was held in PortElizabeth, Red Location Museum and attended by

community members and dignitaries. Conservation ofmemories of OR Tambo in terms of book launches iscritical in the heritage management as these activities

contribute directly to the preservation of OR Tambo

legacy and memory.

SHELL FESTIVALShell Festival is an initiative of Kouga municipality in

Jeffery’s Bay. This festival is about showcasing thecultural activities of Kouga municipality. SAHRA wasfor the first time invited to the Shell Festival to show-

case the work it does in the Eastern Cape, in particularwith regard to conservation of Sarah Bartmann’s burial

place. Shell Festival opened an opportunity for SAHRA

to market and rebrand the cultural heritage of Kouga.This partnership is contributing to heritage manage-

ment within Kouga municipality.

MALOTI DRAKENSBURGTRANSFRONTIER PROJECTThe cultural strategy and plan for Lesotho cut acrossthree provinces: Free State, Eastern Cape and Kwa-

Zulu Natal. This project (MDTP) is funded by the WorldBank, and SAHRA is a key strategic partner in its

implementations. The role of SAHRA in the project isto advise the Lesotho government on heritage issues;participate in the review and amendment of Lesotho

Heritage Legislation; and be involved in the publicparticipation and workshops about the legislation.

MDTP and SAHRA collaborated in order to developthe Lesotho cultural strategy. Because of generally poorstandards of cultural heritage management in Lesotho

SAHRA’s involvement was necessary to consolidate it.

PEOPLE'S ASSEMBLY EVENT. FAR RIGHT: SHELL OPENING FESTIVAL.

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S.E.K MQHAYI AND DR. W BRUBUSANA PROJECTThe objective of the project is to restore and affirm the

memory of Dr. W.B. Rubusana and S.E.K. Mqhayi in the

Eastern Cape. The process of restoration is about to

start as the public participation with families has been

completed. The process of forming partnerships with

relevant stakeholders is underway. Although this

project is not without its challenges we hope to over-

come them in time.

COOPERATION WITH THE DEPARTMENTOF EDUCATIONSAHRA EC office has been involved in preparatory

meetings and the Provincial Heritage Workshop with

the Department of Education. The workshop aimed to

inform subject advisors and educators on issues of

heritage in the wake of the introduction of the New

Curriculum Statement (NCS). Most of the declared

and identified sites are included in the NCS. This is an

ongoing relationship with the Department and it is

viewed as instrumental in building corporate govern-

ance and production of knowledge for learners and

educators.

MILITARY MUSEUMSAHRA is involved in the concept of a Military Mu-

seum. This project started in 2004 by MK veterans

whose dream was to preserve their experiences in exile

for the present and future generations. The museum isto showcase a replica of their daily routine in exile.

Several steps are to be undertaken until completion of

the project, such as the research on the viability on this

kind of institution. This research has started and

various institutions across the country have been visitedby the local organising committee. Another step will

entail a buy-in from other relevant state organs and the

political sector in the country and the rest of the

PLENARY MEETING ON THEFORMATION OF A JOINT PROVINCIALFORUMThis programme is spearheaded by the provincialSafety and Security Department and its goal is to

prevent the theft of heritage objects in the province. A

joint provincial steering committee is proposed to deal

with such criminal activities. The process of setting up

such a committee is still underway. SAHRA was invitedto make a presentation on illicit trafficking of heritage

objects” at the Provincial SAMA Conference in Port St.

Johns in the Eastern Cape. The Eastern Cape office

was accompanied by the Unit on Heritage Objects to

this conference. SAHRA’s participation in the confer-ence was viewed as extremely important, given the

level of theft of heritage objects in the province.

continent. The repatriation process of the veterans’

belongings left behind in exile is to be undertaken, as

they are viewed as part of the national estate due to

their historical significance within a broader frame-

work of a National Resolution Unit (unit dealing with

heritage objects). It is also important to form strategic

partnerships that will ensure the sustainability of this

project.

MGALI CULTURAL VILLAGE – POLICYDEVELOPMENTThe South African Heritage Resources Agency and the

Amatole District Municipality are spearheading the

development of a policy for the Mgwali Cultural

Village. The project is at inception stage and several

plenary sessions were held thus far.

ISINUKA, HEALING WATERS.

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INTRODUCTIONThe Free State provincial office of SAHRA was

engaged in a number of activities during the financial

year under review in line with the organisation’s

strategic objectives.

IDENTIFICATION AND FORMALPROTECTION OF HERITAGE SITES

Potential Heritage SitesThree potential Grade I sites have been identified,

namely: Mooderpoort (Natural and Cultural mix site),

President Brand Conservation Street (Built environ-

ment) and Florisbad (Palaeontological site). The

Mooderpoort submission was tabled in 2007 and the

grading review committee suggested that more

information was required. President Brand street

nomination will be tabled before the grading commit-

tee in 2008. Florisbad is provisionally protected and

together with the National Museum SAHRA is draft-

ing the relevant document. All legal requirements for

the declaration of the Vredefort Dome as the National

Heritage site have been completed. The site is expected

to be finally declared before the end of 2008.

Challenges and SuccessesThe main challenge the Free State office has been

facing is with regard to the declaration of the

Vredefort Dome as a National Heritage Site. All

legislative requirements in terms of Section 27 have

been completely fulfilled, and the office has engaged

all relevant stakeholders through workshops and

discussion forums. Furthermore, both print and

electronic media were used to ensure that all property

owners were contacted and invited to attend these

sessions. In spite of these and other efforts there seem

to be a number of property owners who still object to

the declaration of the site. But irrespective of these

unexpected objections by property owners against the

declaration of the Vredefort Dome as National Herit-

age Site, the Free State office continues to engage with

all the affected parties in order to listen to their

concerns so that an amicable solution can be reached

OUTREACH, EDUCATION AND PUBLICRELATIONS

Public AwarenessPublic awareness remains the core project for the Free

State office, with HIV/AIDS awareness presentations

also forming part of these public awareness initiatives.

The first youth heritage awareness workshop was held

on 16 August 2007 in Bethulie, while the second one

was held on 24 August 2007 with the MUCPP youth,

Bloemfontein. The third and the last youth heritage

awareness workshop was held in Tumahole, Parys on

22 November 2007. All these workshops were divided

FREE STATE OFFICE STAFF TRAINING YOUTH TO SUPERVISE THE MACUFE EXHIBITION STALL. HERITAGE MONTH CELEBRATION IN QWAQWA.

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TABLE 2: FORMAL PROTECTION AT NATIONAL LEVEL

Name Protection & Decision

Vredefort Dome To be declared a National

Heritage Site and Gazetted

(2008)

Florisbad The site is protected and

Palaeontological site it is a potential Grade I site.

Needs further investigations

to acquire National Heritage

Site status

1

2

TABLE 1: STATUS OF IDENTIFIED SITES

Name of landscape, valley/site Grading Committee Council Review Current Status

Recommendations

St. Augustine Anglican Mission

Station

Not graded because of non-

existence of criteria dealing

with mission stations

Not yet tabled before the

council

Only Rock Art site declared

National Monument

Florisbad Palaeontological site A document is to be drafted

for grading

Not yet tabled before the

council

Formerly declared National

Monument

President Brand Conservation

Street

A document is to be drafted

for grading

Not yet tabled before the

council

Only identified as potential

Grade 1 site

1

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3

into three sessions, namely: presentation, group discus-sions and heritage site excursion. The ultimate objective

of these workshops was to make youth aware of theimportance and value of heritage and also to identify

the role of the community in the conservation ofheritage resources.

On 15 September 2007 SAHRA Free State and Herit-

age Free State organised a heritage Indaba that wasattended by 300 people. On 20 September 2007 aheritage awareness presentation was given at Comtech

Comprehensive School in Bloemfontein and on 21September 2007 a similar presentation was given at

Intuthuko Secondary School in Vrede. From 28September until 7 October 2007 SAHRA held a herit-age exhibition at Macufe.

Heritage ManagementThe Free State office managed to establish a strongworking relationship with the FS Department ofTourism, Environment and Economic Affairs, as a result

of which the .Department funded a media awarenesscampaign about the declaration of the Vredefort Dome

as a National Heritage Site.

On 20 September 2007 the provincial staff had a

meeting with the Department of Public Works officialsto discuss the demolition of Elrich House which was

planned for 26 September 2007. The house was built in

the late 1800s and the Department wanted to demolishit without a permit. As this falls within the competency

of the PHRA whose activities have been suspended, theoffice had to intervene to safeguard the building.

Furthermore, a press statement was released regarding

legal requirements pertaining to buildings which aremore than 60 years old. On 14-16 November 2007 the

Free State SAHRA office hosted other provincialofficers in Bloemfontein for an annual heritage re-

sources workshop.

Site inspections also played an important role in heritagemanagement in the province with a number of sites

located in different districts being visited and inspected.

The Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) fordevelopments were received and commented on.

The office has also established a good working relation-

ship with the Free State Department of Sport, Arts and

Culture, and with Heritage Free State. The office also MUCPP YOUTH AWARENESS WORKSHOP.

64

continues to be invited to workshops organised by

other relevant stakeholders such as PanSAlb, Free

State House of Traditional Leaders, National Museum

and DTEEA.

GLOBAL INITIATIVESOn 12-14 November 2007 SAHRA Free State officials

visited Lesotho for a plenary session to develop the

Lesotho National Heritage Strategy. On 26-28 Novem-

ber 2007, SAHRA was visited again to Lesotho to assist

the Ministry of Culture and Environmental Affairs in

facilitating a stakeholder consultative meeting.

The CEO of SAHRA held discussions with Lesotho

National University representatives (Department of

Historical Studies) and the Principal Secretary from

the Ministry of Culture and Environmental Affairs on

15 February 2008 to formalise SAHRA’s working

relationship with our Lesotho counterparts.

CONCLUSIONThe SAHRA Free State provincial office has success-

fully managed to attain its annual objectives. All the

success of the office can be attributed to the commit-

ment and hard work by the SAHRA Provincial office

staff. The strong relationship the office has with other

stakeholders such as Department of Sport, Arts and

Culture, the provincial Department of Tourism,

Environmental and Economic Affairs, and Heritage

Free State has also helped us to attain our objectives.

LEFT: NATIONAL HERITAGE DAY CELEBRATION IN BOTSHABELO.TOP: YOUTH AWARENESS EXCURSION TO FLORISBAD PALAEONTOLOGICAL SITE.BOTTOM: DELEGATES ATTENDING HERITAGE INDABA.

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INTRODUCTIONDuring the year under review the Gauteng Provincial

office was engaged in its annual programmes, which

included different projects, as well as the monthly

publication of HIAs & EIAs.

IDENTIFICATION, NOMINATION ANDDECLARATION OF NATIONAL SITESThe office aimed to co-ordinate the nomination and

declaration of the following identified sites: Solomon

Mahlangu (which was declared successfully), Nelson

Mandela family house (the nomination form was

completed , however the project has been broadened into

a serial nomination incorporating other sites associated

with President Mandela), Hector Pierterson memorial

(which was graded, given Grade 1 significance and will

be tabled before the Council for declaration), and the

Voortrekker Monument. After the grading committee

meeting it was felt that the nomination should be re-

drafted to reflect the role played by other races.

Work is ongoing with respect to the compilation of

submissions for national heritage site status for the

Walter Sisulu Square of Dedication/Freedom Square,

Kliptown, Soweto (where the Congress of the People

was held in 1955) and the Constitution Hill site (where

the Old Fort, Women’s Gaol and Section 4 and 5

prisons held both political prisoners, pass offenders

and criminals). Unfortunately, due to the increasing

workload involved with the responsibilities of under-

taking work on behalf of the Provincial Heritage

Resources Authority: Gauteng, it was not possible to

finalise any of the above submissions for presentation

to the SAHRA Council.

Heritage AwarenessThe Gauteng office undertook this project in partner-

ship with the BGG Unit where they selected schools

around Gauteng in Soweto, Sebokeng, Kliptown,

Atteridgeville and Mamelodi. They made presentations

in classrooms about SAHRA and its mandate as an

organisation and the learners were taught about all

the units and what they do respectively. Debates, essay

writing and site visits took place and the learners were

involved in identifying tentative heritage sites/re-

sources in and around their areas.

Heritage Tourism The office tried to organise workshops with local

authorities in Nokeng tsa Taemane (Cullinan), but

encountered challenges, because the authorities tend

not to pay attention to issues of heritage as they do not

even have heritage units or personnel who are respon-

sible for heritage related matters. But through interac-

tions most of the previously neglected local authorities

have started employing people responsible for heritage

matters. However, there is still a need to have focussed

workshops with these local authorities.

As part of the heritage awareness programme in

schools we had a competition, with the winning groups

DRILL HALL. PRESS CLUB CONFERENCE. SITE VISIT STERKFONTEIN.

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from each school going to the Mapungubwe World

Heritage Site to make presentations on heritage

routes that they had mapped out in their local areas.

The head office in Gauteng and BGG should be

commended for the support they gave.

AUTHORITIES’ MEETINGS

Provincial Heritage ResourcesAuthority: GautengThe office attended the meetings of the PHRA:G

Council once a month and other meetings regarding

specific issues with the aim of increasing the interac-

tion and consultation between the SAHRA Gauteng

Office and the PHRA:G. In addition, the PHRA:G

staff members have been encouraged to attend

meetings of the SAHRA Gauteng BEL Committee

regarding the matters currently being handled on the

behalf of the PHRA:G under the Agency agreement

with SAHRA.

Local AuthoritiesThis office also participated in several workshops

associated with the Inner City Summit held by the

Johannesburg Metropolitan Council, which had the

aim of producing an Inner City Charter. The issues

under discussion included the development and

management of heritage buildings and open spaces in

the inner city.

DEVELOPMENT OF HRM POLICIES,PROCEDURES AND STANDARDSA meeting was arranged between the SAHRA Legal

Officer and the PHRA:G Legal Officer regarding the

policy and procedure to follow in cases where an

appeal is lodged against a decision of the SAHRA

Gauteng Built Environment and Landscapes Commit-

tee made in terms of the Agency Agreement between

SAHRA and the PHRA:G (e.g. section 38). Officials

from both the SAHRA Gauteng and the PHRA:G

offices were also in attendance.

OLD NATIVE RECEPTION DEPOT. TSWAING METEORITE CRATER. FAR RIGHT: CHRIS HANI MEMORIAL.

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DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT OFHERITAGE RESOURCES

Site Inspections and negotiationswith developers and otherstakeholdersThe office participated, together with the Archaeology

Unit, in two Monitoring and Evaluation Inspections of

the fossil sites at the Cradle of Humankind World

Heritage Site and also participated in the negotiations

with landowners around the revision of management

plans and heritage agreements for the fossil sites.

Issuing of permits and reviews ofHIAs/EIAsThrough the monthly meetings of the SAHRA Gauteng

Built Environment and Landscapes Committee, applica-

tions for permits for several identified Grade 1 sites

were processed as well as comments issued on HIAs/

EIAs. The office was also in constant consultation with

the Archaeology, Palaeontology and Meteorite Unit

regarding reviews of HIAs where archaeological sites or

materials were identified. Some of the sites involved

were the Union Buildings, Freedom Square/WSSD and

Constitution Hill. Other major projects included the

ongoing HIA information associated with the Gautrain;

the HIA for the Strategic Public Transport Network/ Bus

Rapid Transit System, Johannesburg; etc.

The applications for permits and reviews of HIAs/AIAs

formed the majority of the work undertaken by this

office. Gauteng Province receives a large number of

notifications of developments that fall within the

criteria of section 38 of the National Heritage

Resources Act and therefore require HIAs/AIAs to be

undertaken.

DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCEOF STAKEHOLDER RELATIONSHIPS

Stakeholder InvolvementA workshop was held in October with the Johannes-

burg Development Agency and various stakeholders

regarding the drafting of heritage guidelines for

development in the Newtown Cultural Precinct,

Johannesburg. The SAHRA Council provisionally

protected it in 2005.

CONCLUSIONThe office responded to many enquiries from the

general public, developers and other stakeholders in

the heritage sector on a daily basis. With regard to

awareness and education of all the stakeholders, we

have had meetings with provincial and local authori-

ties in order to inform them about the management

of heritage resources in general and also to establish

good working relationship, especially with regards

to responding to development notifications.

The office also had the opportunity of educating the

general public when it was invited to television

shows to talk about heritage in general. However, we

still have a huge task on our hands with regards to

the promotion of heritage in previously neglected

communities.

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INTRODUCTIONThe KZN SAHRA office continued to engage in a

number of projects during the year under review,

namely global initiatives, conservation enhancement,

transformation, natural, cultural integration and

heritage tourism.

Global InitiativesSeveral Maloti Drakensberg Transfrontier Project

(MDTP) meetings were held between KZN, Eastern

Cape and Free State SAHRA provincial offices, Amafa

Heritage and the MDTP office in Howick. These

SAHRA provinces, the Executive Officer of HRM, theLiving Heritage Unit and the co-ordinator ’s office

started working with the Lesotho Government in trying

to formulate a policy document that will help Lesotho

with the management, preservation and conservation

of its heritage.

The KZN office joined the SAHRA Eastern Cape for

the King Lobengula’s project which started in

The 3rd Annual HIV/AIDS Conference held in Durban

was attended. The inclusion and recognition of

traditional healers was highlighted as one of the

possible solutions to this pandemic. Circumcision was

considered a very safe measure in HIV/AIDS therapy.The International Traditional Leaders Conference held

at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli ICC was also attended by

the KZN office.

The KZN office started working on the Lubombo

Border Cave which is earmarked as a potential World

Heritage Site. Research on this site is still continuing.

Conservation EnhancementFive different sites were visited by the KZN office, the

Public Relations Office and Dukari. The purpose of

the visits was to identify such sites for conservation

purposes.

The KZN office started working with the SAHRA

Mpumalanga office on the eNtombe Battlefield site

Grahamstown (the Eastern Cape) and ended in Kwa-

Bulawayo (Zimbabwe) where King Lobengula was

commemorated.

The Mandela serial nomination meeting was held at

the Mandela Museum in the Eastern Cape, and attend-

ed by the Mandela Museum, SAHRA Gauteng, BGG,

SAHRA Eastern Cape, Head Office, the Coordinator’s

office and the SAHRA KZN offices. Inkosi Albert John

Mvumbi Luthuli’s nomination was completed by the

Grading and Declarations Unit, the Living Heritage

Unit, the Coordinator and the KZN office.

The Dr BW Vilakazi Memorial was created by the

BGG Unit in collaboration with KZN SAHRA office.

The opening function organised by the KZN office in

collaboration with the BGG Unit, the Usiba Writers

Guild and PanSALB was held at Mariannhill. Some

meetings with Dr Vilakazi’s family were held prior to

the establishment and opening of the memorial.

Dr B W Vilakazi was a pioneer of isiZulu literature.

GHANDI HOUSE. eMAKHOSINI VALLEY PLACE OF THE KINGS. HISTORICAL ZULU HOME.

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with the aim of preserving and conserving the site.

Queen Nandi and Queen Thomo’s Graves Projects were

started together with the BGG unit. Queen Thomo

Project involves his Majesty, King Zwelithini, as she was

the king’s mother, and it also requires the cooperation

of a number of departments since there is a need for the

exhumation of the body.

The KZN office, together with Head Office, visited

O’Neill’s and the Blarney Cottages respectively. The

purpose was to secure some means of preserving the

two sites as the organisation realises their importance

in the history of the country. Together with AMAFA

Heritage representative the office visited the Sibudu

Cave.

The office visited Nobhiyana Madondo’s grave to verify

its state. Nobhiyana is famous for being the only

sangoma who told the truth during King Shaka’s

Ingomboco where the king summoned all the sango-

mas under his jurisdiction to ascertain if their services

were based on truth. In addition, several sites like the

Ngodini Caves were visited for research purposes.

The Ghandi Settlement which is associated with

Mahatma Ghandi was also visited. The Ghandi

Settlement is situated on the Inanda Heritage Route,

which includes Dr J L Dube, Isaiah Shembe, PrixleyKaSeme, Ohlange Institute, Inanda Seminary and

Inanda Dam. Dr J L Dube’s home was also visited and

it became apparent during meetings with the family

that it needed major renovations.

TransformationThe Traditional Leaders meeting held at the Didima

Conference Center in the Drakensberg Mountains was

very fruitful. A lot of information was shared between

KZN Wildlife, museums, the SAHRA office and

Amakhosi.

Some schools under Uthungulu, eThekwini and

Umgungundlovu Districts were visited for awareness,

motivation and supply of materials for research

projects. The Head Office, together with the KZN

SAHRA, office also visited St. Francis College,

Ohlange High School, Inanda Seminary and Adam’s

College as these schools are old missionary schools

that need to be restored under Bishop Ndungane’s

project.

Natural, Cultural Integration andHeritage TourismThe KZN office organised a heritage conference that

was attended by a variety of stakeholders. The theme

of the conference was Heritage; our past, a foundation

for the future. Eighteen presenters shared the platform

at a two days conference.

Cultural Heritage ceremonies organised by His

Majesty the King (iSilo samabandla), were attended.

The office also attended the opening ceremony of the

Centre for isiZulu Language Research and Develop-

BORDER CAVES. ISANDLWANA BATTLEFIELD. REPRESENTATION OF KING CETSHWAYO'S NECKLACE.

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ment at the University of Zululand, and an IsiZulu

Language Indaba organised by the same centre that

was held at SABC offices in Durban.

Additionally, the office attended several stakeholders’

meetings organised by the Department of Arts, Culture

and Tourism. These meetings culminated in a Book

Exhibition that took place in Durban. And lastly, sites

like Ntunjambili and eNgodini Cave were visited for

research purposes on the rich oral history associated

with such places.

CONCLUSIONThe KZN SAHRA office has had a successful year,

during which it was able to continue its work on

existing projects and to establish good relationships

with all those who are interested in the preservation of

our country’s heritage.

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Thulamela. The provincial Murula Festival is one ofthe heritage events launched in cooperation with other

interested parties. Preservation of indigenous knowl-edge related to this national tree is being used so as todraw attention to tourism in the province.

The challenges that SAHRA encounters are related todevelopment priorities and strategies, which were

discussed at the Limpopo Heritage Indaba held in

August 2006.

PROGRAMMES AND ACTIVITIESPublic Awareness, Outreach andEducationThe Limpopo heritage landscape faces challengesregarding heritage conservation on a daily basis. Theserange from development, lack of knowledge from

communities regarding policies, heritage managementsystems and minimal public participation in heritage

management.

INTRODUCTIONIn the year 2007/2008 SAHRA Limpopo managed to

achieve most of its strategic objectives as set in its

annual programme. However, the execution of

SAHRA’s core business was not without challenges, the

main one being to lack of funds to continue the

development of the Makapan World Heritage Site.

Some of the programmes were in partnerships with

other conservation bodies, such as the Limpopo

Heritage Resources Agency, the Department of Eco-

nomic Affairs, Environment and Tourism, Department

of Sport, Arts and Culture, the Mapungubwe National

Park and World Heritage Sites. While SAHRA’s core

function focuses on conserving heritage resources, its

programmes were executed in a way that contributes

to the Provincial Growth and Development Strategy.

Sites that have been identified, graded and are still in

the process of declaration are Lake Fundudzi and

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In response to this, SAHRA, in partnership with

LIHRA (Limpopo Heritage Resources Agency) hosted

the Provincial Heritage Indaba. Issues and chal-

lenges ranging from traditional leadership and

heritage resources management were addressed.

Local municipalities, traditional leaders, developers

and conservation bodies took part in the Indaba. To

ensure that there is continuity, SAHRA committed

itself to the goal that the resolutions be implemented

the following year

Outreach and education focused on educating

students about heritage resources in danger. SAHRA

staff identified some of the San rock art sites in

danger at Tshiungane and Dambale. Local students

were identified as the main culprits writing graffiti

on rock art. SAHRA took advantage of the provision

made in the education curriculum (Arts and Culture

subject) and introduced learners to heritage sites in

their vicinity.

HERITAGE RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

Makapans World Heritage SiteThe development of tourism infrastructure at the

Makapans Valley World Heritage Site has been on

hold since the funds from the first donation from the

National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund have been

used, and we are currently seeking more funding at the

request of all the stakeholders. SAHRA has been in-

formed of the contribution by the Limpopo Department

of Economic Development and Tourism for the

Makapans Valley project. The contribution by the

Mogalakwena Municipality is also worth acknowledg-

ing, especially for its efforts in securing funds from the

European Union for the project. SAHRA has succeeded

in bringing together a formidable team of stakeholders

that eventually led to the appointment of the Limpopo

Department of Economic Development and Tourism as

the management authority for the Makapans Valley

World Heritage Site.

Mapungubwe World Heritage SiteFinally, the human remains of the people of

Mapungubwe were laid to rest back at

Mapungubwe. SAHRA played a pivotal role in

guiding the process so that it was done in a way that

respected and highlighted our heritage. SAHRA is

still a member of the Mapungubwe park forum. We

have attended park forum meetings where we

embarked on the process of drafting the park

transformation charter. We also took part in the

annual national park celebration week where we

made presentations on the state of heritage conser-

vation in South Africa. The event was attended by

international students from Zimbabwe, Botswana

and some from local high schools. We also assisted

in the co-ordination of SAHRA annual Heritage

Resources Management workshop that was held in

Mapungubwe.

LAKE FUNDUDZI. DZATA MUSEUM. THULAMELA PLACE OF BIRTH.

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Heritage Impact AssessmentThe HIA component has always been a tool throughwhich SAHRA prevents development from destroying

local heritage. SAHRA Limpopo wishes to thank the

Department of Minerals and Energy through their EIAsection, municipalities, and the Department of Eco-

nomic Affairs, Environment and Tourism (EIA Unit),who participated effectively in the heritage manage-

ment processes.

The HIA Advisory Committee received and assessed 322Heritage Impact Reports. Throughout the year the

committee reviewed and monitored the scoping reportsfrom developers. This committee then became the

grading committee for the Limpopo Heritage Resources

Authority, which is another area of co-operative conser-vation efforts SAHRA is exerting in the province.

Identification & Declaration of aNational Heritage SiteThe sacred Lake Fundudzi, whose significance relies on

the lake epitomising African spirituality, was identifiedas an important site and the desirability of giving the

lake Grade I status was assessed. The review committeewas satisfied with the statement of significance. To

complete the process the provincial office is waiting for

the new council to make the final decision.

Limpopo Murula FestivalMore than half a century ago the Marula tree was

declared a nationally protected species and recently theDepartment of Economic Development, Environment

and Tourism reaffirmed its stance against the felling ofMarula trees, deeming it illegal. The tree has been

deeply woven into the lives of African people and

archaeologists date its existence back 1000 years. Itsmulti- cultural significance is very important because

amongst the Vatsonga the fruits are used for the “Ukuluma” ceremony to officially launch the harvest

season. It is the announcement of the beginning of theFestival of the First Fruit. Rituals are conducted by

pouring murula brew on grave sites and altars. It is

highly regarded for its aphrodisiac properties. Nuts areused by the Bapedi for birth control and the powdered

bark to regulate the sex of a child. The Vhavenda use thepreservative qualities of its oil for preparing meat, while

the voortrekkers used the bark to dye their sunbonnets

and the Batlokwa of Botswana used is as a calendarmarker - Murule is the name for December.

Because of its significance, a partnership with variousstate organs was established, which resulted in the

concept of the Murula Festival. It has been envisagedthat through this festival and the Mukumbi industry, thesocio–economic status of many will be affected through

job creation and cultural heritage tourism. To SAHRA,though this national tree is not a site, it is both a cultural

and natural heritage. It is a resource with culturalsignificance worthy of conserving not through conserva-tion management plans but by sensitising people to the

economic value they can derive from its cultural signifi-cance. This is a resource that everyone can identify with.

This is a partnership between the Department of Sport,Arts and Culture, the Department of Economic Develop-ment, Environmental Affairs and Tourism, SAHRA,

LIMDEV, LIBSA, Limpopo Tourism and the Parks Board.

SUPPORT AND TRAINING FOR LIHRAOne of the key responsibilities of SAHRA in the prov-

inces is to support and train Provincial Heritage Authori-ties. In Limpopo the interaction and cooperative conser-vation between SAHRA and LIHRA is tangible. Despite

the Heritage agreement of sections 34 to 38 in theNational Heritage Resources Act, 1999, one of the

achievements resulting from this cooperation is thedeclaration of four sites as provincial heritage, namelyDzata, Tjate, Baleni, and Makgabeng. SAHRA and

LIHRA work closely with each other in resolving prob-lems related to rescuing heritage from destruction. KGOSI MALEBOGO

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INTRODUCTIONThe year under review was a challenging one for the

SAHRA Mpumalanga office because we experienced

severe problems related to the inadequate provision

and theft of electronic equipment and office furniture.

Nevertheless we managed to carry out SAHRA’s man-

date to identify areas that need to be conserved, man-

aged and protected according to the National HeritageResources Act. The office coordinated the management

of the national estate and advised, assisted and provided

professional expertise to the authorities responsible for

the management of the national estate at the provincial

and local level. We also promoted and encouragedpublic understanding and enjoyment of the national

estate, public interest and involvement in the identifica-

tion, assessment, recording and management of heri-

tage resources management.

INTERNAL MEETINGSThe Provincial Manager, as well as other staff at theMpumalanga office held a number of meetings during

the year, including the July 2007 meeting with the

Department of Culture, Sport and Recreation, and the

November 2007 joint meeting with the Department of

Culture, Sports and Recreation, the MpumalangaProvincial Heritage Resources Authority and Prof Peter

Delius (from the University of Witwatersrand) aimed at

identifying sites that form part of the Premier ’s Greening

Mpumalanga tourism flagship project.

Additionally on 19 March SAHRA Mpumalanga office,SAHRA KZN office, the provincial coordinator, execu-

tive officer, and the BGG cultural officer held a meeting

at the Mpumalanga office to discuss the serial nomina-

tion, protection and restoration of the Entombe battle

site, graves and repairing of the memorial of the Anglo-Zulu War and drawing up of the Conservation Manage-

ment Plan.

while on 6 March the cultural officer attended a meeting

in Kopanong with other cultural officers involved in the

inter-provincial schools project. The plan envisaged the

completion of all the lessons between April and May, with

learners starting their research projects. At the end of

May a competition was to be held to select the overall

provincial winner. In the first week of September 2008 all

the graded sites will be handed over to the National

Heritage Council for the compilation of a book which

will be launched on 24 September 2008 in one of the

participating provinces. The winning school will be an-

nounced in November 2008 at the Kruger National Park.

DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE OFSTAKEHOLDERS’ RELATIONSHIPThe Mpumalanga office also took part in a number of

meetings with various stakeholders.

In July 2007 the office attended the heritage symposium

in Ermelo. The main objective of the symposium was to

EXTERNAL MEETINGSIn addition to internal meetings, the Mpumalanga

SAHRA office staff attended the following meetings

with other stakeholders.

On 8 February the cultural officer attended the

Botshabelo Heritage Symposium meeting. The

provincial manager attended a Makhonjwa Mountain

Meeting on the same day. The issues discussed were

about tendering for the service provider who will

assist with project management of the Makhonjwa

Mountain project. Later that month the provincial

manager attended a meeting in Barberton where

service providers were given a briefing of how the

Makhonjwa Mountains Project needs to be conducted

and a chance to ask questions about the project

itself.

On 20 February the cultural officer attended a plenary

meeting for the Botshabelo Heritage Symposium,

WATER VAAL BOVEN TUNNEL ENTRANCE. WATER VAAL BOVEN EXCAVATION AT THE TUNNEL.

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create further debate and popularise the heritage of

the province.

On 9 October 2007 the cultural heritage officer

attended a stakeholder meeting with the ProvincialLabour Department. The cultural officer was alsoinvited during the same month by the Emalahleni

municipality to present a paper on the managementof heritage resources at a local level. Also in October

the cultural officer and the provincial managerattended a meeting with the local authorities todiscuss the five flagship projects for Mpumalanga.

Pilgrim’s Rest Heritage Site forms part of the sub-program for Heritage, Greening and Tourism.

SAHRA was called to advise on the best way tomanage the Pilgrim’s Rest Heritage site which isowned by the Public Works Department and whose

agreement is necessary for the management of thesite. The Provincial Manager and the cultural officer

also attended the commemoration of SamoraMachel’s 21st anniversary at Mbuzini.

In December the Mpumalanga office hosted the

Gauteng office with school children at Blydepoort for

the inter-provincial heritage awareness school pro-

gramme. The Gauteng school children and their teach-

ers were taken to heritage sites around Mpumalanga

(Drie Rondavels and God’s Window) for an educational

tour.

Furthermore, the provincial manager went to Zimbabwe

to attend the commemoration of King Lobengula, who

had disappeared on 4 December 1893. The provincial

manager was given the history of the Lobengula family

and the family tree.

DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT OFTHE HERITAGE RESOURCESIn July and August the provincial manger went on two

site inspections and took part in an oral history record-

ing at Waterval Boven.

Later in the year the office had a meeting with a

number of stakeholders to discuss the best ways of

managing local heritage. The following sites were

chosen for the flagship programme: the Entombe

Battle Site, Mafolofolo/Kwasimkhulu, Botshabelo

Mission station, Bushman’s Rock Shelter (near

Echo Caves), and Pulana and Pai Battle Sites with

Swazi.

In January the provincial manager and the cultural

officer had a site inspection and site meeting in

Amsterdam regarding the National Lottery Distribu-

tion Trust Fund donation of R100 000 for the restora-

tion of the Kwathandeka Methodist Church. In March

the provincial manager conducted a second site

inspection. The challenge facing the church is to find a

person who knows how to restore the structure, as it is

91 years old. Some architects have suggested that it

should be demolished and that a new structure must be

built. Some came up with ways of putting pillars to

support the structure.

In January the provincial manager and the cultural

officer attended a meeting in Piet Retief with various

stakeholders regarding the restoration of the Ntombe

Battle Site. There is an urgent need for provisional

protection of the area. There is a need to restore the

Anglo Zulu War Memorial, built by the National

Monuments Council, which is damaged. The serial

nomination of sites around Mpumalanga and

KwaZulu Natal was also discussed at the meeting.

Further research needs to be conducted by MPHRA

and SAHRA.

PUBLIC AWARENESS AND TRAININGIn June the SAHRA Mpumalanga office, in conjunc-

tion with other stakeholders and the premier ’s office,

launched the Mpumalanga History and HeritageBook. The project was undertaken after the premier,

PILGRIM'S REST. HERITAGE AWARENESS WORKSHOP HELD IN THULAMAHASHE.

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Mr. Thabang Makwetla, raised his concerns about the

inadequate recording of the history of Mpumalanga.

The objective of the project is to stimulate a renewed

and intensified debate about the content and

meaning of the history in the region. The book deals

with the regional geology, archeology, rock art,

and pre-colonial history and conflicts between

indigenous communities and white settlers in the

19th century.

On 19 July SAHRA Mpumalanga conducted a Youth

Expo programme at the Water Vaal Boven High

School. The project was designed to showcase career

opportunities in the heritage sector for the youth and to

encourage learners to study heritage-related subjects

after grade 12.

On 24 July 2007, the cultural officer attended a

conference conducted by NHC in Nelspruit focusing

on the Heritage Transformation Charter. On 26 July

2007 the provincial manager attended an intangible

cultural heritage workshop in Pretoria, where

presentations were given by people from around

Africa, echoing the importance of conserving and

managing intangible cultural heritage. Additionally,

the provincial manager and the cultural officer

attended a Heritage Symposium in Ermelo in

August.

In November 2007, the cultural officer and the

provincial manager attended the Heritage Resources

Management workshop in Bloemfontein where each

of the provinces presented their annual projects.

Later in the same month the cultural officer and the

provincial manager attended the reburial of the kings

of the Mapungubwe, and later in the same month the

provincial manager attended the King Lobengula

memorial unveiling in Grahamstown.

On 14 February 2008 SAHRA Mpumalanga con-

ducted a Heritage Awareness Workshop in

Thulamahashewhere Mr. T. Kgomommu explained

the role of the local authority in preserving our

heritage and lots of questions were asked by the

public concerning heritage resources management,

funding and access to the heritage sites.

In the same month the provincial manager and

cultural officer attended a public seminar on Robben

Island on conservation and management of Cultural

Properties World Heritage.

Eastern Cape SAHRA office and Mpumalanga

SAHRA office attended a public seminar at Robben

Island on conservation and management of cultural

Properties World heritage, conservation management

and monitoring of the state conservation. 27-28

February 2008.

CONCLUSIONDespite serious challenges posed by the lack of

infrastructure and instances of theft of equipment, the

Mpumalanga SAHRA office managed to achieve

most of its objectives and has been able to raise

awareness about heritage management among the

general public and local and provincial authorities.

We have also made progress with nominations and

protection of sites under our jurisdiction. We are

looking forward to another fulfilling year.

NTOMBE BATTLEFIELD SITE MEETING AT PIET RETIEF. NTOMBE WORKSHOP.

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INTRODUCTIONThe Northern Cape is the largest of the nine provinces

in South Africa and is dominated by the Karoo basin,

which is a large desert region made up of the Great

Karoo and the Little Karoo. The heritage sites in the

Northern Cape, like many of the other provinces in

South Africa, are diverse and incorporate a number of

different types of heritage that appeal to different

groups of people.

South Africa’s oppressive history can be traced back to

Kimberley, where the simple house and office in

Galeshwe of Robert Sobukwe reminds one of the many

memories of the political fight for freedom in this

country. This same city is renowned for another site,

the Kimberly mine, now known as the Big Hole. It is

also famous for the advent of the industrial revolution

in Africa. The diamond mining that occurred in

Kimberly in many ways determined a lot of the politi-

cal history for Southern Africa.

The heritage sites in Kimberly cover many if not all of

the priorities that are important for SAHRA.

PRIORITY PROJECTS

Concentration Camp CemeteryThe site (Oranje Rivier Station Cemetery in Hope

Town/Doornbult Concentration Camp) is a sensitive

and heartbreaking one, as it tells of how Afrikaner and

black women and children were kept captive and died

of starvation and dehydration during the first South

African war (1899-1902). The camps were part of the

British ‘scorched earth’ policy that had thousands of

families incarcerated in concentration camps through-

out South Africa. The site is vast and is as it was

during the time of the war. This scorched, dry and

parched landscape was once a fort that belonged to the

have been made by generations of San and Bushmen,

found in caves that were once the dwellings of these

people. The Driekopseiland has over 3 500 engravings,

predominantly geometric images. The site is placed

beautifully at a point where the element of water is in

its most natural form. As the river rises in the rainy

season the engravings are submerged. The site is

therefore a seasonal one, as the engravings are only

exposed in the drier periods. It is assumed that the

images could only have been produced during years of

drought, which is said to be a defining feature for late

Holocene.

It has not yet been established exactly how old the

engravings are, although other rock in the area can be

documented to about 400 000 years ago. It is believed

that the engravings are possibly only about 1 000 years

old. There are many theories surrounding the interpre-

tation of the engraved images at Driekopseiland.

There is some evidence of burials along the Riet River.

Such burials have various features in common and

British soldiers who guarded over the concentration

camp. This camp is unique in that both blacks and

whites were kept captive and buried together.

A century after the war, the porcelain and metal

artifacts, such as bullets and whiskey bottles, scattered

across the land, tell much of the activity and the type of

life that was led here. With the number of broken

bottles, food tins, metal clothing pieces and equipment

such as copper camera lenses and used and unused

bullets, one is able to put a picture together of how the

British survived on the fort. Evidence of fires suggests

that they cooked whatever tinned food they got, such as

a meat spread, manufactured by Shippam, a factory in

England that still exists today. The women and chil-

dren who were kept captive at the concentration camp

endured a lot of suffering. Many children and babies

died because of the immense lack of food and water

and proper amenities. The concentration camp cem-

etery is as it was 100 years ago and is significant not

only because it has the graves of the victims of the

Anglo- Boer war, but also because it is the only cem-

etery of its time where black and white people were

buried together. However, discrimination is still

evident in the grave markings, e.g. ‘kaffir ’ boy aged 7

as opposed to the full names that were written for white

people. The concentration camp and cemetery are very

significant as it contributes to the understanding of

political dimensions beyond apartheid. SAHRA

identifies this site as a priority of reconciliation,

transformation as well as a global initiative, as it is a

history that belongs to the British too.

DriekopseilandDriekopseiland is an archaeological rock art site. It is

to the west of Kimberly in the Northern Cape and is

situated on glaciated basement rock in the bed of theRiet River. This rock art site is unlike the many paint-

ings and drawings, dominated by animal imagery, that

ROBERT MOFFAT HOMESTEAD.

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conform to a burial pattern noted in a grave from

Weltevreden, near Driekopseiland, suggesting that the

Riet River burials represent a relatively stable aspect of

a cultural system extending from at least 3 000 years

ago.

It is absolutely fitting that the San and the Griqua

should experience the land as living because

Driekopseiland is definitely a breath of life in a unique

setting. The site is another example of how SAHRA’s

strategic priority, which identifies cultural and natural

integration, is very important in South Africa.

The Big HoleThe Big Hole is an industrial site, created by theremoval of diamond bearing Kimberlite ore.

Kimberly is a city named after the Kimberlite dia-

mond, which was discovered in the area of the big

hole.

A well known name in the diamond industry even

today is that of Cecil John Rhodes, who like many

others traveled to the mine in search wealth. Rhodes

was a business minded man and it was in this manner

that he made his money, striking deals with miners,

which eventually led to the establishment of the very

well known and lucrative DeBeers Consolidated

Mines.

The Kimberly mine closed in 1914 and what is left in

the area is a 40m deep hole in the ground, filled with

water that has a depth of 230m. Although the water in

it is from a natural spring, it is extremely acidic. The

mine itself still exists and one can take a trip into it

and experience what it would have felt like to be

underground with noises and explosions simulated to

create the effect of a real mine. The vault in the

museum holds some of the most exquisite diamonds in

the world, including the biggest one in the world,

which is 616c.

Robert Sobukwe HouseNumber 6 Naledi Street, Galeshwe, in Kimberly is a

normal looking house. It is not really the house that is

historic, but rather the person who resided in the house

from 1969 to 1978. This political icon was Mr. Robert

Mangaliso Sobukwe, founder of the Pan Africanist

Congress.

Sobukwe was a natural leader. He had a flair for

public speaking and was an extremely intelligent

person. On 21 March 1960, at the launch of the anti-

pass campaign, the campaign that lead to the

Sharpville Massacre, Sobukwe resigned from his

teaching post and left his home in Mofolo, after

making safety arrangements for his family. His plan

was to hand himself over to the police for arrest in

hope that other Africans would do the same. On

arriving at the police station, Sobukwe had gathered a

small crowd from neighbouring areas. Most of the

crowd, including Robert Sobukwe, was arrested.

Sobukwe was given a sentence of three years imprison-

ment at the end of which he was moved to Robben

Island where he remained for a further six years.

During his imprisonment he obtained an honours

ROCKART. ROBERT SOBUKWE'S HOUSE. WONDERWERK CAVES.

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degree in economics from the University of London, and

had also started a law degree, which he completed in

1975. In 1969, after Sobukwe had been released from

prison, he was sent to live in a restricted zone in Kimber-

ley, where he was kept under house arrest.

Sobukwe was offered several teaching posts at Ameri-

can Universities but was prevented from going overseas

by the government. They instead offered him a job in the

Bantu Administration Department in Kimberley but he

turned it down and became articled to an attorney in

Galeshwe. He opened his own office and practised as a

lawyer in Kimberley. Sobukwe was a strong yet humble

man with great intellect.

Sobukwe lived with his family in Kimberly until his

death in 1978 He was buried in his birthplace in Graaff-

Reinet. He is rightly considered as a great South African

for his unwavering beliefs of a democratic South Africa.

The Kuruman Moffat MissionThe first inhabitants of the Kuruman area were the

Bushmen. It is from their language that the name

Kuruman is derived. The Kuruman Moffat mission site

is made up of a property with a number of buildings that

include the Moffat homestead, the church and the

school. These buildings all still exist today and are of

great significance in the history of the mission.

The Kuruman Moffat mission is a heritage that portrays

the long history of missionaries who came to Kuruman

in 1799, from the London Missionary Society, which

was founded in 1795. It was only in 1817 that Robert

Moffat was commissioned to Kuruman by the mission-

ary society to join Robert Hamilton, a missionary who

was already in Kuruman.

Development of the land only started after the

Batlhapeng tribe’s Chief Mothibi granted permission,

in 1824. Work started with the construction of a dam,

near the eye of the Kuruman waterfall. At the same

time,

the Moffat homestead was started. It took a total of

four years to complete the homestead and the Hamilton

house. Both buildings still exist today and are regarded

as the oldest buildings north of the Orange River. Much

of the Hamilton house remains unaltered since the

early days and is now being used as a guesthouse.

Before the completion of the houses, a school had been

opened in which a report of August 1825 states that

“twenty-three attend, composed of Botswanas,

Hottentots, two Bushmen and two Mantatees”.

In 1829 the construction of a church began. It seated

800 people, even though there were only nine converts

at the time. The church was opened in 1838, seven years

after they had started building it and it still stands

today.

The Printing Press, an extremely significant object, wasused to create the first Setswana bible. It is an objectthat added to the history of the development of Christ-ianity in Africa. The ox wagon that transported theprinting Press to Kuruman can also be found at themission in the original Hamilton shed.

After the Moffats’ deaths, Kuruman Missionary experi-enced a number of changes and developments, one ofwhich was the opening of Tiger Kloof Institution, afamous institution that trained many leaders in South-ern Africa.

CONCLUSIONIn addition to the priority projects, the Northern CapeOffice has been involved in a number of other activities,

all of which are in line with SAHRA strategic priorities.They included stakeholder engagement, public aware-

ness, nominations, as well as educational outreachactivities.

ROBERT SOBUKWE'S OFFICE. THE BIG HOLE.

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INTRODUCTIONIt was a challenging but also rewarding year for the

North-West SAHRA Provincial Office. During this year

we saw the appointment of the new Provincial Heritage

Resources Authority by the provincial MEC for Sports,

Arts and Culture, Honourable N. Duma. The following

are the key activities which took place in our office

during the year under review.

CONSERVATION ENHANCEMENT

Preliminary Assessment of theKaditshwene Cultural LandscapeIn April 2007 SAHRA NW conducted a site mapping

project, which was done in cooperation with the provin-

cial coordinator’s office, the Living Heritage Office and

the Grading and Declaration Office. The project was

made possible by a donation of 10,000 Euros from

ICCROM, an international centre for the study of the

preservation and restoration of cultural property.

In addition to local participants, the project had drawn

people from Botswana and Zambia, with Mrs. Nonofho

Ndobochani and Mr. Dannis Hambotte representing

their countries respectively. Locally we also drew from

the North West University - Mafikeng Campus, North

West Department of Sports, Arts and Culture, North

West Parks and Tourism Board, the Ramotshere Moiloa

Local Municipality, the Office of the Premier, as well as

the traditional authority of Mokgola and Lekubu

Villages, where the site is located.

Part of the landscape was mapped and the intention is

to complete the remaining parts of the landscape and to

prepare the site for nomination to be graded as a Grade

1 site. The site is one of the oldest Batswana settlements

established in the late 1800s. It was the capital of the

Bahurutshe.

Law Enforcement AwarenessWorkshops on Heritage ResourcesManagementHeritage resources management workshops were

conducted in the four districts of the province. This

was to create awareness and to ensure that munici-

palities know their role with regards to Heritage

Resources Management and enforcement of the law

according to the Act: National Heritage Resources

Act No.25 of 1999.

Workshops were conducted at Madibeng local

municipality, the Bophirima District Municipality

and the Bojanala district municipality by the

cultural officer. The cultural officer also conducted

two workshops at Dr. Modiri Molema district

municipality and at Southern district municipality.

Out of these workshops and engagements with

municipalities we saw the Naledi local municipality

The report was handed to the traditional leadership of

both villages at a tribal meeting held at the Mokgola

tribal authority kraal. All the stakeholders who partici-

pated, as well as the traditional leadership that was

identified during the research, were also given copies

of the report.

Cleaning Campaign- Makweteng/Mfengu Historical Burial SiteMfengue – the grave site of the cleaning campaign, is a

historical cemetery with graves of the people of

Makweteng, one of the earlier settlements in

Mafikeng. Victims of conflict were also buried there.

An oral history session with the elders from Marketing

was held on 9 November 2007 as part of the project.

On 30 November a cleaning campaign took place in

partnership with the Mafikeng Museum, the South

African Scouts Association and Mafikeng Local

Municipality, which provided cleaning machinery.

ONE OF THE CIRCLE ENCLOSURES STILL VISIBLE ON SITE. KADITSHWENE PROJECT TEAM AT THE MEETING WITH THE TRADITIONALLEADERSHIP ON THE DAY OF THE PROJECT COMMENCEMENT.

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council in the Bophirima District becoming the trend

setters in the province by approving an organisa-

tional structure which has the position of a heritage

officer.

Heritage Resources ManagementSAHRA NW has engaged in negotiations with the

North West Department of Agriculture, Conservation

and Environment, who are currently managing the

Taung heritage site as part of the Conservation

Management Plan. Permit applications were re-

quested by SAHRA NW for the fencing project that

was taking place, a permit for the restoration of the

old structures within the Taung Skull National

heritage site, as well as for the construction of the new

access roads. The application was received by the

SAHRA head office in September 2007 and was

assessed again on 20 February 2008. Further consul-

tation with applicants has been engaged in.

HERITAGE TOURISM

Youth Heritage PilgrimageTwo youth heritage pilgrimage tours were undertaken

during the year under review. On 24 September 40

students from the North West Mafikeng campus visitedlocal heritage sites within the Mafikeng local munici-

pality. The sites visited were Kopje, Warrens Fort,

Warrens Well, Barolong Bo-Ratsidi Kgotla Maratiwa,

Stadt Primary and the Lotlamoreng Concentration

Camp. The project was coordinated by the culturalofficer in partnership with the Mafikeng Museum and

the University of the North West.

On the 29th of September another youth pilgrimage

was undertaken in the Moses Kotane local municipal-

ity. It was coordinated by the provincial manager in

partnership with the local municipality and the

Bakgatla Ba Kgafela traditional authority. The

MR. HAMBOTTE FROM ZAMBIA WITH MR. T KGOMOMMU FROM SAHRA & MR. MULLERAN ARCHAEOLOGIST WHO VOLUNTEERED TO ASSIST DURING THE PROJECT.

SOME OF THE HERITAGE PILGRIMAGE PARTICIPANTS WITH MS. GRACE MASUKUSECOND FROM LEFT AND SAHRA NW PROVINCIAL MANAGER.

STATUE OF KGOSI PILANE IN FRONT OF THE MPHE BATHO MUSEUM IN MORULENG

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pilgrimage was part of the heritage celebration events

within the local municipality, which started on 24

September, and was attended by 68 youths who are

involved in environmental conservation clubs. The

importance of identifying, knowing about our heritage

and conserving it was highlighted to the participants.

The tour took place in the Pilanesburg National Park to

the sites where the Bakgatlha settled upon their arrival

from Sekhukhuni.

GLOBAL INITIATIVESBattle of Tigele Mass Burial Site: Batswana

(Bangwaketse and Barolong) Regiments Memorial

On 28 March 2008 a commemorative event was held

for the memorial erected for the Bangwaketse and the

Barolong regiments. The event was an awareness eventconcerning the existence of the site, which is a mass

grave for African soldiers who resisted oppression by the

Dutch. The site is situated at the Setlopo Village, in the

Barolong Booratshidi tribal land. The memorial

honours 181 Barolong and Bangwaketse soldiers wholost their lives during the war against the Dutch from

Rooigrond in August 1884. The soldiers were buried in

mass graves at the Setlopo graveyard. The shape of the

graves is round, which is said to be the way people’s

graves were designed in the past. The event was cel-ebrated through indigenous dance and plays performed

by pupils from the Setlopo High school.

The official unveiling of the memorial will take place in

September 2008.

CONCLUSIONSAHRA NW had an extremely productive year and was

able to achieve its heritage conservation goals thanks to

the cooperation and support from local and provincial

authorities, as well as the general public and the

traditional leaders.

MAKWETENG ONE OF THE GRAVES AT MAKWETENG MFENGU GRAVE SITE.BOTTOM: DRY STONE WALLS KADITSHWENE.

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INTRODUCTIONThe past financial year saw the Western Cape heritage

resources management transcend its provincial

boundaries. Heritage work included involvement in

national programmes directed by the National Depart-

ment of Arts and Culture, assistance to other SAHRA

provincial offices and the identification of interprovin-

cial projects, as well as the participation in interna-

tional projects.

Unfortunately, the provincial unit is handicapped due

to the lack of funds to commission conservation

management plans, as well as the continued lack of

human resources. A similar finding in last year’s

report, in which it was indicated that a ‘continued lack

of resources both human and financial have been one

of our greatest stumbling blocks’. However the new

Contested histories tied to our past have surfaced

with the Prestwich human remain discovery. This

year saw considerable progress in this regard -

achieved after a series of Prestwich Place Task Team

meetings coordinated by the Western Cape Office

took place.

SAHRA COMMITTEES

Grading CommitteeAs a member of the Grading Committee the Provin-

cial Manager participated in one committee

meeting held during the last quarter of the financial

year. This involved reviewing and scrutinising all

submissions received nationally, as well as present-

ing relevant WC CMPs.

financial year will see the appointment of a new cul-

tural officer in the Western Cape office.

Our focus has remained in line with sections 5 and 6 of

the NHRA in so far as public participation and encour-

aging partnerships with community organisations are

concerned. Management of significant heritage sites

such as the Cape Winelands Cultural Landscape was

one of the main key performance areas over the last

year. This included sites such as Boschendal Farmlands,

Con-stantia-Tokai Valley and to a certain extent, Idas

Valley.

Engaging in legal challenges to ensure compliance

represented a large component of duties during the last

quarter of the financial year, especially in the absence of

a legal advisor.

ICOMOS FUNCTION-CASTLE. ARNISTON FISHING VILLAGE - PHOTO T KNIPE.DAMAGED ROOF ARNISTON.

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Ad hoc Permit Committee/ BuiltEnvironment Landscape CommitteeThe Western Cape SAHRA Built Environment &

Landscape Committee, which was previously called

the SAHRA ad hoc Permit Committee, adjudicated a

large number of cases in the 2007/2008 financial

year. Significant cases that remain include: Robben

Island, Kassiesbaai, Cape Winelands Cultural

Landscape, as well as commenting on Grade 1

matters such as the Bokaap, District Six, Langa and

Table Mountain National Park. Certain HIAs were

also reviewed by the committee.

The Western Cape office has assumed the role of

coordinator and secretariat for all the meetings.

IDENTIFICATION AND FORMALPROTECTION OF NATIONALHERITAGE SITES

Potential National Heritage SitesIdentifiedThe public continues to identify potential Grade 1

and national heritage sites, and as a result SAHRA

WC has engaged in a few exploratory meetings with

certain heritage committees, the Department of Arts

and Culture (DAC) and the general public, with

regards to the following sites:

1. Simons Town Muslim Heritage - including

graves, kitaabs, caves and intangible heritage.

2. Simons Town urban/settlement pattern and

structure (tangible heritage).

3. The Castle of Good Hope - in relation to the

early military, slave and Khoi-San heritage.

Please refer to the detailed information pertain-

ing to this site further in the document.

Potential Grade 1 sites identified under the national themes are indicated below, but are still to beinvestigated in full and approved.

POTENTIAL GRADE 1 SITE INVESTIGATION TO DATE

1. GEOLOGY

a. Cango Caves -

2. GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS All the state buildings indicated are owned by the Department of Public Works (DPW). A

promising meeting to deliberate the responsibilities and obligations of the DPW towards

heritage sites in its ownership was conducted.

a. Parliament The DPW is in the process of completing a CMP.

b. Groote Schuur Movable objects identified.

c. Tuynhuis -

d. Genadendal Movable objects identified

3. LIBERATION STRUGGLE

a. Victor Verster Grade 1 status approved by Council in 2004. DAC indicated a desire of fast tracking declaration.

b. Langalibalile, Valkenberg Site identified and needs further inter-provincial co-ordination between the SAHRA WC and KZN

office.

4. SLAVERY

a. Castle of Good Hope Identified by DAC as a priority project

5. MILITARY AND NAVAL

a. Simons Town Meetings with Simons Town Historical Society on its intent to submit part of the urban area for

consideration for Grade 1 status and declaration.

b. Castle of Good Hope As above. Military history recorded.

c. Fortification Route In discussion with DPW

6. SACRED SITES

a. Sheikh Yusuf’s Kramat Grade 1 status conferred by Council of SAHRA

b. Tana Buru Burial Ground Grade 1 status conferred by Council of SAHRA

c. Kramats Joint identification process between HWC and SAHRA WC

7. EARLY SETTLEMENTS

a. Stellenbosch Historical Core Survey conducted by local heritage committee

b. Tulbagh Historical Core -

c. Cape Town CBD Historical Core In discussion with the Cape Town Heritage Trust.

d. Mission Settlements i.e.

Genadendal, Elim, Wittewater,

Mamre, Goedverwacht -

8. KHOI-SAN/ PRE-COLONIAL

a. Knersvlakte Joint project SAHRA WC & HWC

b. Grave of Adam Kok Joint project SAHRA WC & HWC

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FORMALLY PROTECTED NATIONALHERITAGE RESOURCESCape Winelands Cultural Landscape -Serial NominationAfter much consultation and after issuing our first

notice of intent to extend our provisional protection of

the Cape Winelands Cultural Landscape for another two

years, it has come to light that such a move would not be

met favourably by certain owners. One of the major

concerns is related to potential delays that might be

detrimental to agricultural practices. SAHRA WC is in

the process of organising public meetings in the new

financial year to address these concerns. n the meantime

the following progress and activities can

be reported on specific valleys and/or cultural land-

scapes:

Constantia-Tokai Valley, ConstantiaCape Metropolitan Region- GRADE 1SITEThe declaration of the Cape Winelands Cultural Land-

scape has unfortunately not progressed due to legal

challenges posed. Since this site transcends municipal

and geographic boundaries it involves numerous role

players with differing political views. The last addition

to the Grade 1 winelands region as approved by the

Council of SAHRA, namely Constantia Tokai Winelands

Cultural Landscape, has proven to be a particularly

challenging case. Most of our activity regarding this

area has been to focus on developing a valid legal

response to objections against the grading of the site.

Idas Valley, Stellenbosch Region-GRADE 1 SITEIdas Valley is ready for the final declaration notice of

intent to declare to be issued. The extensive nature and

legal opinion on the occupants of the site required

SAHRA WC, with the assistance of the Idas Valley

Environment and Conservation Association (IVECA), to

compile a comprehensive database on the ownership

and occupancy of the site. This information is now

available and the valley should be declared shortly.

Dwarsriver Valley and a portion ofGroot Drakenstein, Simondium area,Stellenbosch/ Drakenstein Region -GRADE 1 SITEAn active case in our office remains the proposed

Boschendal Founders Estate Development located in

Dwarsriver Valley. On appointment of a new SAHRA

Council, a decision was taken by the Council that the

pending Boschendal Appeal matter be resolved as soon

as possible. An appeal hearing took place in February

2008 and the final decision, in brief, endorsed the

decision of the Permit Committee with recommenda-

tions.

Presently, neither SAHRA nor the DAC have receivedany appeals against this decision.

Daljosofat, Roggeland CulturalLandscape - GRADE 1 SITESAHRA is the owner of a large portion of the Winelands

Cultural Landscape - namely, the Daljosafat Cultural

Landscape located in the Paarl/Wellington region. It was

graded as a Grade 1 cultural landscape by the previous

Council of SAHRA. This particular land exhibits

magnificent cultural treasures ranging from fine

historic monuments exhibiting a rich Cape vernacular

architectural tradition to scenic valleys, and is well

known for its historic significance. All of which serve as

material evidence of the cultural landscape’s evolution

over time. The WC office submitted an application to

motivate for the immediate formal protection of the

SAHRA owned property. Due to the known signifi-

cance of the land and the potential it holds as an

exemplary heritage site it was decided by the Council

of SAHRA to declare the SAHRA portion a national

heritage site. It is envisioned that this will serve as

the first step in the declaration of the Paarl/Welling-

ton Winelands Cultural Landscape as part of the

broader serial nomination.

Robben Island-World Heritage Site-National Heritage SiteThere has been considerable speculation concerning

the financial difficulties experienced by Robben

Island. Conservation management of the island is

currently implementing the Integrated Conservation

Management Plan (ICMP). All development activi-

ties on the island are controlled and advised through

the SAHRA WC Built Environment Permit Committee

and RIM is a regular applicant.

ARNISTON CEMETERY AND DEVELOPMENTS.

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Green Point, Human Remainsand Burials - partial GRADE 1SITEWe are pleased to announce that phase 1 of Prestwich

Memorial Place was completed at the beginning of2008. An Ossuary was built and the human remains

discovered were re-interred into their final restingplace at the Ossuary on St Andrew’s Square. We wish

to thank all our partners for their commitment as well

as the resilience and determination shown to ensurethe respectful treatment of the human remains of our

ancestors.

Fortunately we managed to secure the R1 250 000committed towards the Prestwich, Green Point Project

from the new Lottery Distribution Trust Fund, whichreviewed all standing projects in 2007. The broader

Green Point Project will undertake to urbanise thecemetery by way of integrating the past with thepresent through the interpretation of the site.

CONCEPT LAYOUT OF THE BROADERGREEN POINT PROJECT

Waenhuiskrans Cultural Landscape-PHS- GRADE 1 SITEFurther progress has been made regarding the

conservation of the Waenhuiskranz Cultural Landscape.

This remains one of our most challenging, yet rewarding

conservation cases.

Need for FundingDuring the previous financial year the need for funding

to safeguard and protect Kassiesbaai and the broader

Waenhuiskranz Cultural Landscape was reported. Fund-

ing is needed for a variety of conservation issues includ-

ing, but not limited to the following heritage manage-

ment tools: an integrated conservation management

plan; updated conservation and development guidelines;

emergency funding for repairs (especially thatch roofs);

and, most importantly, the establishment and imple-

mentation of a sustainable business model and plan.

Since our last report we have explored various avenues

in the hope of securing necessary funding. In order to

engage with known funding agencies, a funding pro-

posal was developed by the community with assistance

from SAHRA WC officials so as to meet its conservation

and socio-economic needs. This is ready for submission

to the Capital Projects Fund and DEAT. Unfortunately,

the previous submission was rejected by the National

Lottery Distribution Trust Fund.

Integrated Conservation ManagementPlanPreviously it was reported that the SAHRA Council had

committed partial funds for an Integrated Conservation

Management Plan to be drafted. It is unfortunate to

note that due to a newly established internal process

these funds have been shifted to a SAHRA CMP fund.

According to the Provincial Coordinator, there is no

guarantee that Kassiesbaai will receive the full alloca-

tion.

INTER-GOVERNMENTAL ANDCOMMUNITY CO-OPERATION

Cape Agulhas MunicipalityA joint SAHRA, Cape Agulhas Municipality (CAM),

Vissers Unie (VU) and Arniston Conservation Commit-

tee meeting was held in Bredasdorp, where we were

introduced to the then Mayor, Eve Marthinus and the

Municipal Manager, Keith Jordaan. This meeting

proved useful in eradicating negative perceptions and

inconsistencies that hampered good working relations.

A plan was worked out and we were hopeful that

our future interactions would be more constructive.

PRESTWICH MEMORIAL SERVICE.

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However, the political make-up of the municipality

has since changed and SAHRA will have to re-engage

with CAM and its new structure in the new financial

year.

The Department of EnvironmentalAffairs and Tourism (DEAT)After some enquiries and repeated requests for assist-

ance directed to the Minister of Environmental Affairs,

Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk, by the

Waenhuiskranz Community, the Minister agreed to

undertake an exploratory meeting. This took place on

24 August 2007 at the Arniston Hotel.

The Minister initiated a meeting between community

representatives, the Cape Agulhas Municipality,

SAHRA and various other organs of state to confirm

which activities have been planned to improve the

socio-economic position of the Arniston/

Waenhuiskranz community, and to identify solutions in

order to ensure momentum in taking initiatives

forward for a sustainable development plan for the

community and its environment.

It was agreed that all parties would continue their

work but in an integrated manner and that the herit-

age value receives due consideration within all activi-

ties planned. A follow up meeting to review the

progress is to take place in 2008.

Fortunately the election process of the VU, the local

community body representing the Kassiesbaai commu-

nity, presented more favourable results - in that the

status quo remained, making it easier for continuity in

interaction, since SAHRA and the current VU have a

well- established relationship.

District SixThe declaration process of District Six continues. It was

decided due to the complexity of ownership within the

selected District Six boundary that it would take the

form of a phased declaration.

One of the biggest challenges to the heritage value of

District Six that threatens to destroy this heritage

resource are the impending evictions of the Pontact

Street, District Six (currently Woodstock) residents.

This street forms part of a small section of District Six

that had been spared the direct trauma of forced

removals. It is the area in the original District Six below

Eastern Boulevard (“the eastern part of District Six”).

The residents of the eastern part of District Six escaped

the forced removals because their area was not declared

Arniston Ratepayers Association andArniston Conservation CommitteeThese are organisations representing the wealthier

Arniston community located adjacent to Kassiesbaai.Both the Kassiesbaai and Arniston communities forman integral part of the Waenhuiskranz Cultural Land-

scape. SAHRA’s experience of the relationships betweenthe two communities - sharing not only the same unique

coastal strip but the same strong desire to conserve thecultural heritage of this cultural landscape - are mostlycohesive and supportive in nature.

Cape Nature Conservation (CNC)This conservation body shares the conservation princi-

ples of SAHRA and has become one of our most reliableand supportive state bodies in this region. The landsurvey project, funded by SAHRA, to determine the

beacons of the village has been completed.

Table Mountain National Park -a portion of the Cape FloristicKingdom - World Heritage ListingThe TMNP declaration is in its final stages; however, adelay to this declaration was caused by the late appoint-ment of the Council of SAHRA. SAHRA WC used part

of the savings in its budget to appoint a heritage consult-ant to assist in the gathering of information to enable

the declaration to take place on schedule. Propertyinformation is now available.

We also had to deal with objections received from both

private owners and a state owner. Meetings were con-vened and letters explaining the process dispatched,

and it was agreed that SAHRA would continue to issuethe final notice of intent in accordance with section 27

(d). We have received continued support and assistance

from the managing authority of Table MountainNational Park (TMNP).

PRETORIA ICOMOS CONFERENCE.

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‘white only’. Today, the eastern part of District Six is the

only living remnant of the original District Six area, and

constitutes the only tangible and intangible rem-nant of

an important part of South Africa’s social cul-tural

history. Court proceedings are ensuing and SAHRA WC

has provided a supporting affidavit to stop the intended

evictions.

We were first approached by members of the community

in early 2006 to confirm that their property falls within

the Grade 1 area of District Six. Most of the residential

stocks situated in the eastern part of District Six are in

fact currently formally protected as individual provin-

cial heritage sites. It is understood that the residents of

the properties in question are among the few remaining

original residents of District Six and their direct de-

scendants. Other residents who have become part of the

circumstances, where the cultural significance of

District Six is not merely founded on tangible informa-

tion but on the actual living memory of an existing

community, the preservation of the community is of

utmost importance. The original community of District

Six experienced traumatic and violent dispersal.

Organisations such as the District Six Museum are

going to great lengths to reclaim the stories of mem-

bers of the community that were displaced. Should

more people be removed, this would obviously threaten

the heritage quality of District Six even further, and

perpetuate the goal of the previous government to era-

dicate the history and memory of District Six. Not only

will the residents face the trauma of being evicted from

their community, the loss of cultural memory will be ir-

redeemable. SAHRA WC continues to support this com-

munity and will remain a respondent on this matter.

community have been shaped by the personal history of

these original residents. This is of great significance. In

heritage terms, it means that we have not lost the

character and intangible heritage of District Six

completely, but that it has been preserved and passed on

to the current residents of the properties.

This way of life, forged over more than two centuries, is

an invaluable heritage asset. Preserving our heritage is

not merely about preserving the physical integrity of

buildings and objects but also about protecting the

living memory and community of those people who

have been and still are a significant part of our history.

For these reasons, the residents who live in the property

that is subject to eviction proceedings add immensely to

the cultural significance of District Six, as envisaged by

sections 3(3)(a), (b), (c) and (g) of the Act. In these

ICOMOS SA-SAHRA CASTLE FUNCTION. CPUT TOWNPLANNING AWARDS. HERITAGE DAY CELEBRATIONS.

96

OUTREACH AND PUBLIC RELATIONS

Youth Memorial Lecture at UWCThis year the SAHRA WC office worked closely with

the Department of Cultural Affairs and Sports

(DECAS) as part of a Task Team to prepare for a 1976

Youth Memorial Project in preparation for Heritage

Day. Preceding the planned Heritage Day event, a

Youth Memorial lecture was organised at the Univer-

sity of the Western Cape (UWC) on the 11th of August

2007. The date is significant as it relates to the UWC

students who joined the students of Soweto in the

uprising against the Bantu Education policy on 11

August 1976. The lecture included performances by

cultural groups, choirs and a PowerPoint presentation

of images from 1976.

Heritage DayOnce again SAHRA WC was a member of the Task

Team which planned the Heritage Day event which

was led by Heritage Western Cape of DECAS. The

Gugulethu Heritage Trail began on the 24th of

September 2007 and started at the Gugulethu Seven

site with a speech, poetry and a wreath laying cer-

emony. This was followed by similar events at the

Amy Biehl site, whereafter the trail continued to the

Gugulethu sport complex. The events at the sport

complex included music and dance performances, a

motivational speech, poetry and a keynote address by

the Premier of the Western Cape, Ebrahim Rassool.

Ubuntu Imbizo & Award 2007In partnership with DECAS, the SAHRA WC office

was a member of the Task Team that arranged this

event. The Ubuntu Boulder was unveiled in Pniel at

a ceremony which included music items by local

school choirs. The event continued at Boschendal

with a keynote address by Minister Pallo Jordan and

the Ubuntu Award acceptance by Dr Kenneth

Kaunda.YOUTH MEMORIAL LECTURE, PROF BRIAN O'CONNELL

MIN. PALLO JORDAN AT BOSCHENDAL UBUNTU IMBIZO. MASTERPLAN LAYOUT ST ANDREWS.

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GLOBAL INITIATIVESThe past financial year saw SAHRA WC actively

involved in ICOMOS South Africa programmes. With

the support of the EO Heritage Resources andDumisani Sibayi (an ICOMOS SA Executive Commit-

tee Member), SAHRA WC funded at least two

ICOMOS SA initiatives.

ICOMOS SA was established some ten years ago, aspart of a post-apartheid South Africa. Prior to this,

heritage management and conservation practice in

South Africa were largely limited in scope and practice

as a direct result of South Africa’s exclusion from the

international arena. SAHRA is mindful of the fact thatinternational interaction and exposure through organi-

sations such as ICOMOS has meant a shift and an

alignment with global conservation principles consid-

ered relevant to South Africa. For this reason when the

first ever ICOMOS Advisory Committee, ScientificSeminar, Scientific Council, Bureau, Executive Com-

mittee and African National Committee meetings were

to be held in Africa, SAHRA fully supported this

initiative. The meetings took place in Pretoria on 6-12

October 2007.

This was preceded by events held in Cape Town on 4-5

October 2007. This programme dealt with conserva-

tion issues in Cape Town and its surrounding areas and

consisted of site visits and presentations. This special

programme was an initiative from the Shared Built

Heritage Scientific Committee and was facilitated by

ICOMOS SA members, Ashley Lillie, Laura Robinson

(current SAHRA Council Member) and the PM,

Beverley Crouts-Knipe. The latter two are ICOMOS SA

Executive Committee Members.

SAHRA WC sponsored the site visit to Genadendal

Mission Station as well as the opening function held at

the Castle of Good Hope. Visits to the Table Mountain

National Park and the historical core of Cape Town

were organised. Other sponsors and individuals that

contributed to the success of the Cape Town Pro-

gramme are: Phakamani Buthelezi (CEO of SAHRA),

Table Mountain National Park, Dr Stephen Townsend,

the Castle Control Board, Captain Francois Morkel

and Herman Kotze. Once again, we wish to thank all

those that made this initiative a success.

EDUCATIONIt has been discovered that young graduates in the

Built Environment and Cultural Landscape industry

are not familiar with the provisions of the NHRA andconservation principles. As they are the future profes-

sionals who will affect change and intervention on the

built environment and cultural landscape, we view that

it was and still is our objective to educate as many of

these future specialists as we are able to. The CapePeninsula University of Technology has become a

partner in achieving this objective.

Since the appointment of the cultural heritage officer,

Sonja Warnich, the education portfolio of the WesternCape has grown. During the past financial year, the

office has not only awarded the Cape Peninsula

University of Technology (CPUT) the Architectural

Award for the Best Student in History, but have also

instituted the CPUT Award in the Department of Town& Regional Planning for the Best Student

in Environmental Management Studies. In addition,

Ms Warnich regularly lectures at CPUT for the Depart-

ment of Town and Regional Planning. Similar lectures

were provided to the Department of Architecture andBuilding in the past. The content of these lectures

focuses on building an understanding of conservation

architecture and heritage planning with the

architecture and planning students. The WC office

and the CPUT Faculty of Engineering, under

which these departments fall, are discussing an

incorporation of heritage related programmes into the

curriculum.

COMMUNITY PROJECTSOur focus remains on communities that have an

integral link, if not a symbiotic relationship, with sites

of national significance in the Western Cape. Over thepast year we worked mostly with communities involved

in the following sites: Waenhuiskrans Cultural Land-scape-Kassiesbaai, Dwariver Valley-Stellenbosch,

Prestwich Place Memorial, Simons Town and other

national programmes to a lesser degree.

There has been much progress on the Prestwich Place

Memorial Project since our previous report. With thefirst phase of the ministerial decision, the re-interment

of the human remains discovered at Prestwich Place

into their final resting place has been completed.However, this has been a highly challenging project on

all levels - ranging from community discontent,

requirements by cultural and religious leaders andpolitical conflict. Although the project continues, it has

reached an impasse on a certain level. A brief sum-mary of the project explains this impass.

In 2003 an accidental discovery of some 2500 humanremains during the course of building activity was

made at Prestwich Street. Work was immediately

halted by SAHRA and a public consultation processbegan. The discovery was given substantial media

coverage. During this process, the Hands-Off PrestwichPlace ad hoc Committee was formed to challenge

SAHRA’s decision to permit exhumation to continue.

The site became highly contested – bringing to the forequestions about how we are to deal with emotive

issues of past insensitive practices related to buryingthe under classes, and how we are to manage

discoveries made during the redevelopment of urban

centers.

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Following a series of appeals against the exhumation

of the human remains, a ministerial tribunal was

tasked with making a final decision. The final ministe-

rial appeal upheld the SAHRA’s decision to allow the

exhumation and development to proceed, and the

following directive was given, requiring the involve-

ment of the City in conjunction with SAHRA:

“To construct a suitable memorial park or garden

on an appropriate site in the Green Point area

where the Prestwich Street remains can be interred

and any other further findings of skeletal remains,

and that such a park could become the focus of the

community’s memory and learning about the

past.” Minister Pallo Jordan

The Prestwich Memorial Project Team - a partnership

between the City of Cape Town, SAHRA, Heritage

Western Cape (HWC), District Six Museum and the

Prestwich Place Project Committee- PPPC (initial

appellants previously known as the Hands Off

Prestwich ad hoc Committee) was formed to imple-

ment the ministerial decision. The Task Team set out to

develop Prestwich Memorial as a place of final

interment for human remains found in the old cem-

etery area of Cape Town in Green Point, now com-

monly referred to as the Green Point Historical Burial

Ground.

The SAHRA Council availed funds for the initial

research to be conducted to determine the national

significance of the discovery. Basic historical and

archaeological research revealed that the human

remains belonged to the poor under classes and lower

echelons of early 18th century Cape society. Historical

archaeological research (non-invasive) on the human

remains and the artifacts found that they were those of

slaves (some of North African descent), first generation

slaves, Khoi and San people, Muslims and early

settlers among others. In essence, the site and its

discovery were fundamentally important, since it is the

only one of its kind in South Africa - a multi-cultural,

multi-religious and multi-racial site of an early South

African society. The SAHRA Council awarded Grade 1

significance to the discovery and approved that the

declaration of the site of interment be instituted.

SAHRA is currently in the process of declaring the site.

All Task Team partners worked extremely hard,

resulting in an Ossuary (Final Resting Place) being

developed with City funds on a public open space

located at the corner of Buitengracht and Somerset

Streets. This landmark site will ultimately serve as the

gateway to the Green Point Historical Burial Ground

and will accentuate its significance.

To ensure that all religious requirements are observed

and that the necessary respect is afforded, the

Prestwich Memorial Project Team arranged for the

necessary blessings, consecration and cultural prac-

tices to be conducted. It was envisioned that this would

lead to a formal opening of the Ossuary with its

associated memorial park as the final resting place.

With great regret we have to report that the formal

opening never occurred as planned and we were

forced to postpone it to an undetermined date due to

certain conflicting and complicated relations that

currently exist between the local and provincial tiers

of government. SAHRA and some of our partners

considered it inappropriate to publicly open the

Ossuary and thus, once again, camouflage the

memory of the human remains with more conflict. The

Task Team decided to continue with the relocation and

re-interment of the human remains into the final

resting place. And the community organisations

involved, namely, the PPPC and District Six Museum,

proceeded with an appropriate, solemn and dignified

gathering of a few mourners at the site on Friday

afternoon 25 April 2008.

We continue to work towards the formal opening of

the Ossuary Site as the place of re-interment and a

memorial. Possible dates at present are Heritage Day,

24 September 2008 or Slave Emancipation Day, 1

December 2008.

HERITAGE MANAGEMENTInspection tours, surveys and identification of herit-

age resources

The office undertook numerous site visits and investi-

gations in preparation for adjudication of applica-

tions submitted to the permit committee - and in order

to gain insight into the sites concerned.

Inspection trips to heritage resources that had been

identified as possible Grade 1 sites and that could be

declared as National Heritage Sites took place at

various farms in the Cape winelands, the

Waenhuiskranz Cultural Landscape, Tana Baru,

Prestwich Place within the Green Point Historical

Burial Ground area and sites around the Table

Mountain National Park.

CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT ANDCONTROL

Boschendal Appeal HearingFour appeals were received against the SAHRA ad

hoc permit committee’s ROD dated 29 September

2006. The appeals were submitted by the following

bodies:

a. The Cape Institute for Architecture;

b. The Franschhoek Conservation Trust;

c. The Dwars River Training and Development

programme

d A late appeal was submitted by the Drakenstein

Heritage Foundation.

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In view of the fact that no new members of Council had

been appointed since 30 September 2006 the matter

could not be concluded. No appeals were considered

and there were no further deliberations.

However, in the absence of a newly appointed Council,

SAHRA has in the meantime, through its Chief Execu-

tive Officer, communicated with the Minister of Arts

and Culture, Pallo Jordan, by letter and through numer-

ous telephone conversations with members of staff

within the Department of Arts and Culture, during which

it was emphasized that SAHRA was in an untenable

situation without a newly appointed council and urged

the Minister to appoint one as required by the NHRA.

In addition to this, as stated above, the provisional

protection of the Cape Winelands Cultural Landscape

has since lapsed, with the result that SAHRA no

longer has a formal jurisdiction over the Boschendal

farms amongst others. Although the site in question

still enjoys Grade 1 status, most of the farmlands are

currently generally protected.

Boschendal is justifiably frustrated by the fact that it

is unable to proceed with the process preceding the

proposed development simply because SAHRA has

been unable to appoint an appeal committee more

than a year after the appeals were lodged. The

Boschendal appeal has also received attention in

local newspapers, and the current lack of progress is

having an adverse effect on SAHRA’s public image.

It is therefore important that the appeal be consid-

ered and that a decision is taken as a matter of

urgency.

WC PROVINCIAL MANAGER, SAHRA CEO & MIN. M VAN SCHALKWYK. BOSCHENDAL APPEAL.

KASSIESBAAI SURVEY MAP

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The ad hoc permit committee believes that in

providing approval for the sub-division proposal

while imposing a strict set of conditions within the

current local and national legislative framework,

that it is acting in the best interest of the heritage

resource, the beneficiary community and the

community at large. Detailed attention has been

given to protect the world heritage and national

values of the entire cultural landscape.

The principle of the committee decision is to

allow limited managed development to stop ad

hoc erosion in the future. In complying with the

conditions of SAHRA, the applicant, with the

assistance of SAHRA, would enhance the status,

potential attractiveness and value of the site to

current and future land-owners and its surround-

ing communities.

The ad hoc permit committee concluded that an

appropriately controlled development would set the

standard for maintaining the authenticity and integrity

of the overall site, and recommended that a close

working relationship be established between SAHRA

and the current and future owners of the property, as

well as the local community.

LEGAL COMPLIANCE

Arniston CemeteryCertain community members from Arniston and

Kassiesbaai informed SAHRA of construction activity

at the Arniston Hotel without a permit as required in

terms of the NHRA having been issued. SAHRA

considered the matter seriously since we were of the

opinion that further extension of the hotel could

potentially deface the Waenhuiskranz Cultural Land-

scape, and especially the Kassiesbaai area, with the

hotel being located at a prominent position at the

entrance to Kassiesbaai. SAHRA’s permit committee

wished to review the matter to ensure that the Grade 1

cultural landscape was not detrimentally affected and

to advise the most appropriate action. The owners of

the hotel questioned the legality of SAHRA’s interven-

tion and therefore refused to cease construction activity.

Police intervention did not amount to any change in

action. SAHRA reverted to the next legal recourse,

namely a court interdict, in the hope of dissuading the

owners against further, what we considered unlawful

action. As a result of this, SAHRA and the defendant

presented their cases in court. The court did not uphold

SAHRA’s request on the premise that certain adminis-

trative and legal requirements were not met in terms of

the Public Administration and Justice Act (PAJA)

amongst other issues.

LANGA PASS OFFICE. TANA BARU GRAVEYARD IN BO-KAAP. CAPE WINELANDS.

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SPECIAL PROJECTS

The Transfer of the Castle of GoodHope from the Department of Artsand Culture to the Department ofDefenceThe transfer is considered a very significant project. In

this, the DAC requested SAHRA to advise it on the

conservation issues and heritage related challenges that

the impending transfer of the Castle poses to the herit-

age resources.

In this regard and with the purpose of facilitating a joint

initiative between the DAC and the DOD, a steering

committee known as the Joint Task Team was estab-

lished at the request of the Castle Control Board. The

focus of the task team is to investigate opportunities,

challenges and practicalities associated with the future

use of the Castle. The provincial manager was elected to

the Joint Task Team, which was then divided into two

sub-committees, namely, The Future Use and The Due

Diligence sub-committees. The Future Use sub-commit-

tee was appointed to investigate the future opportunities

that the transfer of the Castle of Good Hope from the

Department of Defence to the Department of Arts and

Culture presents. To further the process, the provincial

manager was appointed the convener of the FUSC, with

the purpose of collating information and presenting a

discussion document.

The basic premise of the investigative study undertaken

by the Future Use sub-committee is that the significance

of the Castle of Good Hope as a heritage site should

guide and inform decisions on the future use of the

Castle. The findings of the FUSC are based on histori-

cal research, a document review process, meetings with

stakeholders, a fact finding mission conducted locally

and a workshop conducted with interested stakeholders.

A draft discussion document that deliberates the

opportunities for the future use of the Castle of Good

Hope and its related properties has since been submit-

ted to the Minister of Arts and Culture. Once agreement

on the vision and objectives has been reached by the

Joint Task Team, the discussion document could be

converted into a terms of reference for the future use of

the Castle.

The future use of the Castle can present an amazing

opportunity for South Africa to showcase how a nation-

ally and internationally significant heritage site can set

new boundaries for an integrated, sustainable and

remarkable heritage experience. The Castle presents

not only local opportunities, but also a strong platform

HOUSE AT VICTOR VERSTER, WHERE N MANDELA WAS IMPRISONED BEFORE RELEASE. LANGA HOSTELS. PRESTWICH OSSUARY.

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for global heritage initiatives. A contested site, it

evokes mixed feelings yet yields great historic material

fundamental to the process of reconciliation and

nation building. In essence this site needs to be repre-

sented effectively to the public.

PUBLIC RELATIONS ANDMEMBERSHIPSThe provincial manager serves as a member of the

Castle Control Board together with the SAHRA CEO.

The provincial manager attended most meetings and

provided advice on the conservation of the Castle. The

provincial manager also serves as an executive board

member on the Cape Town Heritage Trust.

ICOMOS South Africa forms part of ICOMOS

International - a world heritage body tasked with

contributing at an international level to the body of

knowledge on conservation management of sites and

monuments. ICOMOS serves as an advisory commit-

tee for UNESCO on monuments. One of the purposes

of ICOMOS South Africa is to engage South African

heritage professionals in an international process of

learning. The provincial manager serves as the

secretary of ICOMOS South Africa’s executive com-

mittee. The past year saw South Africa make a success-

ful bid to host the ICOMOS Scientific Executive

meeting in South Africa.

The Table Mountain National Park Forum is a body

that allows the public direct involvement in the overall

management of Table Mountain. The provincial

manager holds the heritage portfolio on the steering

committee and attends regular meetings.

Other bodies on which the Western Cape office serves

include Robben Island ICMP Steering Committee;

Prestwich Task Team; and Idas Valley Heritage Com-

mittee.

TOP: SIMONSTOWN COMMUNITY MEETING. CENTRE: DISTRICT SIX PROTEST. BOTTOM: CASTLE BOARD MEETING.

Other bodies with whom the office interacts with on

a regular basis:

* Department of Arts and Culture;

* Heritage Western Cape;

* The Department of Environmental Affairs andDevelopment Planning – regarding the new

Planning Legislation;

National Department Public Works;

District Six Museum;

* Heritage South Africa;* Iziko Museum, Cape Town;

* Archaeology Department, University of Cape

Town;

* Department of Public Works, Cape Town &

Pretoria;* Cape Town Tourism Office;

* Cape Peninsula University of Technology;

* Roland and Letta Hill Trust (managed by BoE);

and

* St Peter ’s Memorial Cemetery Trust.

CONCLUSIONDespite the fact that heritage resources manage-

ment, and more specifically the resources of the

SAHRA WC office, are overstretched to the extent

that they cannot support the full function of this

office, ongoing networking and community involve-

ment have been able to sustain our protection and

management function in the province.

The SAHRA WC office wishes to thank all the

supporting communities and individuals, too

numerous to mention, and hope that the good

working relations and interactions forged on good-

will, trust and a strong desire to protect that whichwe most value, will continue to exist in the year to

come. We welcome the involvement of all other

heritage committees and communities in nationally

significant heritage sites and potential Grade 1 sites.